Looking behaviour and preference for artworks: The role of emotional valence and location

Ute Kreplin; V. Thoma; P. Rodway

doi:10.1016/j.actpsy.2014.08.003

Looking behaviour and preference for artworks: The role of emotional valence and location

Ute Kreplin, V. Thoma, P. Rodway

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Abstract

The position of an item influences its evaluation,with research consistently finding that items occupying central locations are preferred and have a higher subjective value. The current study investigated whether this centrestage effect (CSE) is a result of bottom-up gaze allocation to the central item, and whether it is affected by item valence. Participants (n = 50) were presented with three images of artistic paintings in a row and asked to choose the image they preferred. Eye movements were recorded for a subset of participants (n = 22). On each trial the three artworks were either similar but different, or were identical and with positive valence, or were identical and with negative valence. The results showed a centre-stage effect, with artworks in the centre of the row preferred, but only when they were identical and of positive valence. Significantly greater gaze allocation to the central and left artwork was not mirrored by equivalent increases in preference choices. Regression analyses showed thatwhen the artworks were positive and identical the participants' last fixation predicted preference for the central art-work, whereas the fixation duration predicted preference if the images were different. Overall the result showed that item valence, rather than level of gaze allocation, influences the CSE, which is incompatible with the bottom-up gaze explanation. We propose that the centre stage heuristic, which specifies that the best items are in the middle, is able to explain these findings and the centre-stage effect.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	100–108
Journal	Acta Psychologica
Volume	152
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actpsy.2014.08.003
Publication status	Published - 2014

Bibliographical note

NOTICE: this is the author’s version of a work that was accepted for publication in Acta Psychologica. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication. A definitive version was subsequently published in Acta Psychologica [ Vol 152 (2014)]. Doi: 10.1016/j.actpsy.2014.08.003.

Keywords

eye tracking
preference
centre-stage effect
art
decision making

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10.1016/j.actpsy.2014.08.003

Looking behaviour

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title = "Looking behaviour and preference for artworks: The role of emotional valence and location",

abstract = "The position of an item influences its evaluation,with research consistently finding that items occupying central locations are preferred and have a higher subjective value. The current study investigated whether this centrestage effect (CSE) is a result of bottom-up gaze allocation to the central item, and whether it is affected by item valence. Participants (n = 50) were presented with three images of artistic paintings in a row and asked to choose the image they preferred. Eye movements were recorded for a subset of participants (n = 22). On each trial the three artworks were either similar but different, or were identical and with positive valence, or were identical and with negative valence. The results showed a centre-stage effect, with artworks in the centre of the row preferred, but only when they were identical and of positive valence. Significantly greater gaze allocation to the central and left artwork was not mirrored by equivalent increases in preference choices. Regression analyses showed thatwhen the artworks were positive and identical the participants' last fixation predicted preference for the central art-work, whereas the fixation duration predicted preference if the images were different. Overall the result showed that item valence, rather than level of gaze allocation, influences the CSE, which is incompatible with the bottom-up gaze explanation. We propose that the centre stage heuristic, which specifies that the best items are in the middle, is able to explain these findings and the centre-stage effect. ",

keywords = "eye tracking, preference, centre-stage effect, art, decision making",

author = "Ute Kreplin and V. Thoma and P. Rodway",

note = "NOTICE: this is the author{\textquoteright}s version of a work that was accepted for publication in Acta Psychologica. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication. A definitive version was subsequently published in Acta Psychologica [ Vol 152 (2014)]. Doi: 10.1016/j.actpsy.2014.08.003.",

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pages = "100–108",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Looking behaviour and preference for artworks: The role of emotional valence and location

AU - Kreplin, Ute

AU - Thoma, V.

AU - Rodway, P.

N1 - NOTICE: this is the author’s version of a work that was accepted for publication in Acta Psychologica. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication. A definitive version was subsequently published in Acta Psychologica [ Vol 152 (2014)]. Doi: 10.1016/j.actpsy.2014.08.003.

PY - 2014

Y1 - 2014

N2 - The position of an item influences its evaluation,with research consistently finding that items occupying central locations are preferred and have a higher subjective value. The current study investigated whether this centrestage effect (CSE) is a result of bottom-up gaze allocation to the central item, and whether it is affected by item valence. Participants (n = 50) were presented with three images of artistic paintings in a row and asked to choose the image they preferred. Eye movements were recorded for a subset of participants (n = 22). On each trial the three artworks were either similar but different, or were identical and with positive valence, or were identical and with negative valence. The results showed a centre-stage effect, with artworks in the centre of the row preferred, but only when they were identical and of positive valence. Significantly greater gaze allocation to the central and left artwork was not mirrored by equivalent increases in preference choices. Regression analyses showed thatwhen the artworks were positive and identical the participants' last fixation predicted preference for the central art-work, whereas the fixation duration predicted preference if the images were different. Overall the result showed that item valence, rather than level of gaze allocation, influences the CSE, which is incompatible with the bottom-up gaze explanation. We propose that the centre stage heuristic, which specifies that the best items are in the middle, is able to explain these findings and the centre-stage effect.

AB - The position of an item influences its evaluation,with research consistently finding that items occupying central locations are preferred and have a higher subjective value. The current study investigated whether this centrestage effect (CSE) is a result of bottom-up gaze allocation to the central item, and whether it is affected by item valence. Participants (n = 50) were presented with three images of artistic paintings in a row and asked to choose the image they preferred. Eye movements were recorded for a subset of participants (n = 22). On each trial the three artworks were either similar but different, or were identical and with positive valence, or were identical and with negative valence. The results showed a centre-stage effect, with artworks in the centre of the row preferred, but only when they were identical and of positive valence. Significantly greater gaze allocation to the central and left artwork was not mirrored by equivalent increases in preference choices. Regression analyses showed thatwhen the artworks were positive and identical the participants' last fixation predicted preference for the central art-work, whereas the fixation duration predicted preference if the images were different. Overall the result showed that item valence, rather than level of gaze allocation, influences the CSE, which is incompatible with the bottom-up gaze explanation. We propose that the centre stage heuristic, which specifies that the best items are in the middle, is able to explain these findings and the centre-stage effect.

KW - eye tracking

KW - preference

KW - centre-stage effect

KW - art

KW - decision making

U2 - 10.1016/j.actpsy.2014.08.003

DO - 10.1016/j.actpsy.2014.08.003

M3 - Article

SN - 1873-6297

VL - 152

SP - 100

EP - 108

JO - Acta Psychologica

JF - Acta Psychologica

ER -

Looking behaviour and preference for artworks: The role of emotional valence and location

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

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