The perception of collative properties in visual stimuli.

Cupchik. G. C. & 8erlyne, D. E.: The perception of collatÎve properties in visual stimuli. Scand. J. Psychol. 20, 93-104, 1979. Two experiments were conducted to determine how quickly subjects respond to collative properties (e,g., Complexity, Uncenainty) of visual stimuli. In Experiment I subjects were presented with reproductions of paintîngs and artificial patterns which varied in collative properties (e.g., Uncertainty, Redundancy). Subjects were able to discriminate these properties on related verbal scales after only a single glance (50 msee) as weil as after multiple gJances (500 and 5000 msee). In Experiment 2 subjects were presented with pairs ofpaintings and pattems difTeringalong collative dimensions (e.g .. High versus Low UncertaintYJ in an exploratory choke paradigm. The results show that for exploralory choice subjects were particularly sensitive to unit)' or order after only a single glance (50 msec) and todh'ersity or complexity after multiple glances (500and 5000 msec). In genera!, the data for the single glance condition are consistent with theories which aUribute holistic processing to the initial phase of perception.