Do Men and Women Process Images Differently?

February 11th, 2009 by Kris

So this topic depends heavily on research from this original article that was posted by Holly Buchanan April 30th, 2007

So let’s talk about this for a second, the answer apparently is YES! and no. So in March of 2007 an eye-tracking study was done and researchers found men and women focused on slightly different body areas . . . or parts. Let’s face it guys glance below the equator first, right? Well . . . in April of 2007 antother study came out saying men look at faces and first and them move south and women do the opposite. This second study brought in two variables:

  • Women had a different pattern based on hormone level
  • Women looked at couples “in action” longer

Holly Buchanan (the lady I’m bogarting all the above research) has an interesting bit here on the importance of content in an image, especially when marketing to women.

In 2006 at the University of Flordia did a study where they too 100 college aged women and presented images of attractive women to them. The results? The more seductive the woman pictures, the more it left the women bored and uninterested!

The researchers determined that women we looking to “emulate” a more “wholesome” model than an overly sexy model.

Why am I talking about this? Simple, when you go to create an image for a client – even if they don’t know – you have to know who you are appealing to.

Just something to think about before you hit the shutter the next time!

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