This semester, our seminar class got to hear from Dr. Nick Baker present When are dot arrays perceived as shapes?, which described some of the processes in human visual perception and how our brains can process visual cues as more recognizable forms, like shapes. In the presentation, the class was shown several example images of Gabor arrays in differing formations so that we could follow along with the explanations. In these images, the Gabor arrays were arranged in a way that our eyes could make out either a symmetrical or asymmetrical shape. The majority of the class found it easier and faster to process the shapes arranged symmetrically than asymmetrically.
In the supplemental journal article “The role of vertical mirror symmetry in visual shape detection”, Bart Machilsen, Maarten Pauwels, and Johan Wagemans investigate the role of symmetry in visual perception. More specifically, the role of vertical mirror symmetry in perceptual grouping, which goes along with Dr. Baker’s research and presentation. This study also used images with Gabor arrays that can be perceived as symmetrical or asymmetrical shapes that were given to the participants. Similar to our class, the results showed that the participants were able to identify the shapes they perceived as symmetrical faster and easier than the images depicting asymmetrical shapes.
In a separate article “Can Artificial Intelligence Make Art?: Folk Intuitions as to whether AI-driven Robots Can Be Viewed as Artists and Produce Art”, Elzė Sigutė Mikalonytė and Markus Kneer test human participants’ perception of human-made art and AI-made art. To do this, the researchers did two experiments, one showing “abstract” art and one showing “representational” art. In each, participants were told if a human or AI made the art and if it was done intentionally or accidentally, then made the participants rate their agreement to several claims about the artist, intention, and if they considered what they saw as “art”. The results showed that the human participants did not show a significant difference in perceiving human vs. AI-made images as “art”, but did not consider the AIs who made them as “artists” as much as the humans who made them. The researchers suggest that the reason behind this finding is that the participants were less likely to associate certain “mental states” related to being an artist to the AIs.
These two articles are similar because they both highlight different factors that contribute to our visual perception and processing. The vertical symmetry article describes the importance of the factor of symmetry in visual perception, as the Gabor arrays forming “symmetrical shapes” were perceived easier than asymmetrical ones. This result can also describe how humans generally see symmetrical figures as more appealing. The second article describes the importance on background knowledge and perception in visual processing. Even though the images were not manipulated by the researchers, just the mention of whether a piece of art was made by a human or if it was intentional or accidentally created could lead the participants to have different perceptions on whether they considered an image as “art” and whether its creator was an “artist”.
References:
1. Bart Machilsen, Maarten Pauwels, Johan Wagemans; The role of vertical mirror symmetry in visual shape detection. Journal of Vision 2009;9(12):11.
https://doi.org/10.1167/9.12.11.
2. Mikalonytė, E. S., & Kneer, M. (2022). Can Artificial Intelligence make art?: Folk intuitions as to whether AI-driven robots can be viewed as artists and produce art. ACM transactions on human-robot interaction (thri), 11(4), 1-19.
https://doi.org/10.1145/3530875
No comments:
Post a Comment