Abstract
The visual fixations of 20 Ss viewing each of two pictures were measured. Each picture was later divided into 64 squares, and 20 other Ss judged their recognizability on a 10-point scale. Both measures gave high readings for unusual details and for unpredictable contours. Although they were judged to be highly recognizable, all the redundant (or predictable) contours received few fixations. Areas of mere texture scored low on both measures. The relations between fixation densities and estimated recognizability suggest that a scene may be divided into informative features and redundant regions. Not only do the eyes have to be aimed, they are usually aimed intelligently, even during the casual inspection of pictures.
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The research reported herein was supported by the National Science Foundation, Contract No. G8-192. to Harvard University. Center for Cognitive Studies and by the Cooperative Research Program of the Office of Education, U. S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare Contract No. OE-4-10-136, Project No. E-020, to Harvard University, Center for Cognitive Studies, and also by the National Aeronautic and Space Administration Research Grant NsG718 to Harvard University, Guggenheim Center for Aero-space Health and Safety. Thanks are due to Dr. Jerome S. Bruner, Dr. Jane T. Mackworth, and Dr. Herbert E. Kragman for advice, as well as to Joyce M. Hiebert for technical assistance. Acknow-ledgements are also owing to Mr. Ken Heymans for his courtesy in allowing us to use his mask photograph. Similarly, we thank the National Aeronautics and Space Administration for providing the picture of Baja California.
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Mackworth, N.H., Morandi, A.J. The gaze selects informative details within pictures. Perception & Psychophysics 2, 547–552 (1967). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03210264
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03210264