Landscape mirror: the attractiveness of reflecting water

This research examined human preference for water and a key aspect of water, its reflection. We compared responses to reflection in water versus reflection in glass and responses to reflection versus transparency. Sixty respondents rated the attractiveness of four scale-models varied on those dimensions. High inter-item reliability across the rating scales called for their combination into a composite measure of attractiveness. The analysis revealed that individuals preferred the water to the glass and the reflective to the transparent surface. They gave the most favorable ratings to the scene with reflective water, suggesting the potential desirability of reflective ponds as a design element.