Dataset for: A Closer Look: The Influence of Tattoos Perception on Viewing Time

In a world where tattoos increasingly punctuate the human canvas, their impact on visual perception presents a unique and intriguing subject of study. This research delves into how tattoos, as distinct body alterations, influence the duration of viewer observation, integrating this inquiry with the broader understanding of viewing time effects in aesthetic evaluation. In this study, 130 participants were asked to rate the aesthetics of images of 7 humans. The images were manipulated to present variations in the presence of tattoos (with and without). Participants’ viewing times were tracked in milliseconds, providing a measure of engagement with each image. This approach allowed for an analysis of the interplay between aesthetic ratings, the presence of tattoos, and viewing time, utilizing linear mixed-effects models. Challenging assumptions that link longer viewing times with higher aesthetic appreciation, our findings showed no significant correlation between the presence of tattoos, aesthetic ratings, and duration of viewing. This suggests a more intricate relationship between aesthetic judgment and viewer engagement, here in the context of tattoos. The study offers insights into the perception of tattoos, emphasizing the complexity of factors that influence viewing behavior beyond traditional aesthetic evaluations. These results contribute to the broader discourse about visual cognition and underscore the need for further research into the multifaceted, diverse aspects of aesthetic experience, particularly in relation to body alteration, here tattoos.