Self-Portraits: Smartphones Reveal a Side Bias in Non-Artists

PLoS ONE
February 2013 | Volume 8 | Issue 2 | e55141
Published: February 06, 2013
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0055141

Nicola Bruno [1], Marco Bertamini [2]

1 Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Università di Parma, Parma, Italy
2 Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom

Abstract

According to surveys of art books and exhibitions, artists prefer poses showing the left side of the face when composing a portrait and the right side when composing a self-portrait. However, it is presently not known whether similar biases can be observed in individuals that lack formal artistic training. We collected self-portraits by naïve photographers who used the iPhone front camera, and confirmed a right side bias in this non-artist sample and even when biomechanical constraints would have favored the opposite. This result undermines explanations based on posing conventions due to artistic training or biomechanical factors, and is consistent with the hypothesis that side biases in portraiture and self-portraiture are caused by biologically-determined asymmetries in facial expressiveness.

Introduction

When they compose a self-portrait, artists prefer poses showing the right side of their face. This right-side bias is well documented by surveys of art books and exhibitions but its origin has remained controversial. As an alternative to observational data from the history of art, we collected self-portraits by naïve photographers who used the iPhone™ front camera in controlled settings. The right side bias remained observable in this non-artist sample, and even when biomechanical constraints would have favored a left-side bias. These results argue against explanations based on posing constraints and support the hypothesis that side biases in portraiture and self-portraiture are caused by biologically determined asymmetries in facial expressiveness...

http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0055141