title: When complex is easy on the mind: Internal repetition of visual information in complex objects is a source of perceptual fluency.
abstract: Across 3 studies, we investigated whether visual complexity deriving from internally repeating visual information over many scale levels is a source of perceptual fluency. Such continuous repetition of visual information is formalized in fractal geometry and is a key-property of natural structures. In the first 2 studies, we exposed participants to 3-dimensional high-fractal versus low-fractal stimuli, respectively characterized by a relatively high versus low degree of internal repetition of visual information. Participants evaluated high-fractal stimuli as more complex and fascinating than their low-fractal counterparts. We assessed ease of processing by asking participants to solve effortful puzzles during and after exposure to high-fractal versus low-fractal stimuli. Across both studies, we found that puzzles presented during and after seeing high-fractal stimuli were perceived as the easiest ones to solve and were solved more accurately and faster than puzzles associated with the low-fractal stimuli. In Study 3, we ran the Dot Probe Procedure to rule out that the findings from Study 1 and Study 2 reflected differences in attentional bias between the high-fractal and low-fractal stimuli, rather than perceptual fluency. Overall, our findings confirm that complexity deriving from internal repetition of visual information can be easy on the mind.
authors: Department of Marketing, University of Groningen.
authors: Yannick
authors: Y
authors: Joye
authors: Department of Social Psychology, University of Groningen.
authors: Linda
authors: L
authors: Steg
authors: Department of Social Psychology, University of Groningen.
authors: Ayça Berfu
authors: AB
authors: Ünal
authors: Institute of Social Sciences, Hanzehogeschool Groningen.
authors: Roos
authors: R
authors: Pals
mesh_terms: D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D017709:Fractals; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual / Q000502:physiology*; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*