A relationship between visual complexity and aesthetic appraisal of car front images: An eye-tracker study

Chassy, Philippe and Lindell, Trym A. and Jones, Jessica A. and Paramei, Galina V. (2015) A relationship between visual complexity and aesthetic appraisal of car front images: An eye-tracker study. Perception, 44 (8-9). pp. 1085-1097. ISSN 0301-0066

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Abstract

Image aesthetic pleasure (AP) is conjectured to be related to its visual complexity (VC). The aim of the present study was to investigate whether (i) two image attributes, AP and VC, are reflected in eye-movement parameters; and (ii) subjective measures of AP and VC are related. Participants (N = 26) explored car front images (M = 50) while their eye movements were recorded. Following image exposure (10 sec), its VC and AP were rated. Fixation count was found to positively correlate with the subjective VC and its objective proxy, JPEG compression size, suggesting that this eye-movement parameter can be considered an objective behavioural measure of VC. AP, in comparison, positively correlated with average dwelling time. Subjective measures of AP and VC were related too, following an inverted U-shape function best-fit by a quadratic equation. In addition, AP was found to be modulated by car prestige. Our findings reveal a close relationship between subjective and objective measures of complexity and aesthetic appraisal interpreted within a prototype-based theory framework.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information and Comments:	This is the author's post peer review version of an article, the final version of which is published in the Sage Publications journal Perception.
Keywords:	Visual complexity Aesthetic judgement car front images eye movements prototype ease-of-processing
Faculty / Department:	Faculty of Human and Digital Sciences > School of Psychology
Depositing User:	Philippe Chassy
Date Deposited:	10 Jul 2015 14:39
Last Modified:	18 Apr 2016 08:45
URI:	https://hira.hope.ac.uk/id/eprint/449

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