Abstract
This study investigated the relationship between the magnitude of illusory motion in the variants of the “Rotating Snakes” pattern and the visual preference among such patterns. In Experiment 1 we manipulated the outer contour and the internal geometrical structure of the figure to test for corresponding modulations in the perceived illusion magnitude. The strength of illusory motion was estimated by the method of adjustment where the speed of a standard moving figure was matched to the speed of the perceived illusory motion in test figures. We observed modulation of the perceived strength of illusory motion congruent with our geometrical manipulations. In Experiment 2, we directly compared the magnitude of the perceived illusory motion and the preference for these patterns by a method of paired comparison. Images differing in illusion magnitude showed corresponding differences in the reported preference for these patterns. In addition, further analysis revealed that the geometry and lower level image characteristics also substantially contributed to the observed preference ratings. Together these results support the idea that presence of illusory effect and geometrical characteristics determine affective preference for images, as they may be regarded as more interesting, surprising, or fascinating.
Highlights
While the investigations of artworks and other esthetically designed objects have dominated the area of experimental esthetics, many other visual experiences can, in addition, be considered as visually interesting, pleasant, and fascinating as well as emotionally evocative
The present study focused on parametric changes in the perceived magnitude of the Rotating Snakes illusion, and how these changes might be associated with the level of visual preference
A four-way repeated measures analysis of variance was conducted in order to test for the specific effects of all independent variables specified in the design: (1) Contour (Circle Mean 4.64, SD 2.35; Circlesquare Mean 4.20, SD 2.16, Square Mean 3.48, SD 2.12), (2) Inner layout (Radial layout Mean 4.20, SD 2.15; Elliptic layout Mean 4.17, SD 2.10; Paraboloidal layout Mean 3.94, SD 2.29), (3) Motion direction (Counterclockwise motion direction Mean 4.03, SD 2.24; Clockwise motion direction Mean 4.18, SD 2.03), (4) Standard comparison figure (Standard comparison figure of the full disk pattern Mean 4.32, SD 2.02; Semi-contour line figure Mean 3.89, SD 2.24)
Summary
While the investigations of artworks and other esthetically designed objects have dominated the area of experimental esthetics, many other visual experiences can, in addition, be considered as visually interesting, pleasant, and fascinating as well as emotionally evocative. People are generally fascinated or moved by various visual illusory effects, and it seems that such experiences are both perceptually and emotionally rewarding. There has been a considerable amount of conceptual confusion in empirical esthetics regarding a priori definitions of esthetic preference, esthetic judgment, and esthetic experience. We will use the term“visual preference”interchangeably with the term “esthetic preference.” McWhinnie’s (1968) definition of esthetic preference, which is widely accepted among researchers, refers to the degree with which people like a particular visual stimulus, how they rate “its” beauty or how much they prefer it to another. Since the word “esthetic” sometimes denote “artistic” meaning and sometimes denote “pleasantness” or “attractiveness,” we opted for more neutral term “visual preference.”
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