Friedenberg and colleagues thoroughly investigated how humans respond to different frieze patterns (border patterns with repeated design elements). They found via a study of the seven basic frieze types found worldwide and throughout history (presented horizontally) that “consisted of individual curved and linear motifs as well as random textures [that] Friezes that filled the entire pattern region and which contained emergent global features were preferred the most. In a second experiment, we utilized horizontal texture friezes that were completely filled and which varied in size and number of elements. Participants preferred patterns with larger features, probably because they make detection of the symmetric transformations more visible. The frieze with the greatest number of symmetries was preferred most but symmetric complexity by itself could not completely account for the predicted preference ordering. In both studies, friezes containing horizontal mirrors (translation, 180° rotation, horizontal mirror, vertical mirror, and glide reflection and translation, horizontal mirror, and glide reflection) were preferred far more than any other condition. Horizontal symmetry may enhance perceived beauty in these cases because it runs parallel to and so emphasizes the overall frieze orientation.”
Jay Friedenberg, Preston Martin, Naomi Uy, and Mackenzie Kvapil. “The Aesthetics of Frieze Patterns: Effects of Symmetry, Motif, and Element Size.” I-Perception, in press, https://doi.org/10.1177/20416695221131112