SUllld. J. Psychol. 20, 93-104. 1979 The perception of collative properties in visual stimuli GERALD C. CUPCHIK DANIEL E, BERLYNE t Unh'ersity of Toronto, Canada 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. Gerald C. Cupchik.. Di\"ision ofL,fe Sciences. Scarborough College. UniversityofToronto, West Hili. Ontario. Canada. MIC JA4. The empirical study of aesthetics has received re- newed attention during the past decade (Berlyne, 1971, 1974). This research has benefited a great deal from theoretical and methodological developments in psychology. From a theoretical view-point aesthetic activities can be related to the area of intrinsic motivation. One might enquire about which aspects of aesthetic stimuli detennine their reward value. The search for important stylist ic and informational properties of aesthetic stimuli has been immeasurably furthered by the use of factor analytic and multi-dimensional sealing techniques IBerlyne & Ogilvie, 1974; Cupchik, 1974). Now that researchers have a more rigorous grasp of the stimulus it is possible to examine the process of aesthetic perception. Three basic questions can be raised in the context of this work. First, are there common properties which contribute to the impact of aesthetic stimuli? Second, how quickly during perception can such propertjes be discriminated by the observer? Third, does the perception of these properties change as a function of viewing time? Wherein does the reward value or impact of an aesthetic stimulus originate? One reasonabie an- swer is th at it resides in the individual elements of the work of art which include the colour. texture. and medium of a visual work. the tones of a musical passage, or the words and rhyme in apoem. While the individual elements certainly contribute to the character of a work, the structure of relations which underlie them may ultimately prove more signifi- cant. These relations include, for example. the de- gree of similarity or difference among the elements and intercorrelations among them. The perception of these relations pro vides the observer with a sen se for the organization of the work and is essen- tial to its impact. Tenns such as "information densi- ty". "uncertainty", and "redundancy" have been introduced to describe and summarize some of these structural properties. Psychologists have long endeavoured to under- stand how the organizational properties of stimuli are perceived. The discrimination of structure. from a Gestalt view point (Wertheimer, 1923), is facilitated by a "grouping" process which spon- taneously organizes the stimulus elements into con- figurations. Berlyne (1960. 1971) has extended th is analysis by maintaining that the organizational pro- SCl1nd. J. P.lycho/. 20