Abstract
Two sets of photographic slides, one made up of scenes from the geographic environment, the other of works of non-representational modern art, were scaled for complexity by obtaining judges’ ratings of amount of variation present on several specified stimulus attributes. Fourteen slides defining a sevenpoint scale of complexity were selected from each set and given to college students to obtain measures of (a) amount of exploratory behavior (number of times S chose to expose each slide briefly), and (b) preference (evaluative ratings on a seven-point scale). In accordance with prediction, the former measure emerged as a linearly increasing function of complexity, while the relationship between complexity and preference was curvilinear, reaching a maximum at an intermediate level of complexity. The results are related to Berlyne’s distinction between specific and diversive stimulus exploration, and implications for the study of aesthetics are discussed.
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This investigation was supported by funds from a Bio-Medical Sciences Research Grant (No. PHS 7045-02) from the National Institutes of Health to Clark University. The skillful assistance of Miss Carol Simon in the conduct of this experiment is gratefully acknowledged. Thanks are also due to Dr. George McCleaiy of the Clark University Geography Department, and to the Worcester Art Museum, for making their slide collections available for the selection of the physical environment and modem art slides, respectively, used in this study.
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Wohlwill, J.F. Amount of stimulus exploration and preference as differential functions of stimulus complexity. Perception & Psychophysics 4, 307–312 (1968). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03210521
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03210521