Influence of the observer’s gender on the aesthetic visual impression of body form and gait pattern

Abstract

This study examined the effect of the observer’s gender on the perception of aesthetic visual impressions due to the combination of body form and gait pattern. A two-way analysis of variance revealed no significant interactions, and significant main effects of gender and trial, respectively. Female observers demonstrated a greater degree of aesthetic evaluation than male observers. Post-hoc test results showed that normal gait in thin mannequins was more aesthetic than that in standard or obese mannequin, and that walk with an anterior tilted pelvis was more aesthetic than walk with a posterior tilted pelvis, regardless of the body form. Motion analysis revealed during walking with posterior pelvis tilted, greater hip flexion and knee flexion angles in the initial phase of stance than walking with anterior and normal pelvis tilted. Moreover, the upper and lower spine flexion angles were larger while walking with posterior tilted pelvis than while walking with normal tilted pelvis. It was suggested that changes in the movement of each body part in conjunction with the type of pelvic alignment may affect the aesthetic visual impression on observers.