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Yasmin B. Sanderson (2011). Color Charts, Esthetics, and Subjective Randomness. Cognitive Science, 36, 142-149.

@Article{Sanderson2011,
author = {Yasmin B. Sanderson},
title = {Color Charts, Esthetics, and Subjective Randomness},
journal = {Cognitive Science},
year = {2012},
volume = {36},
pages = {142-149}

}

Author of the summary: Schmied Dominic P, 2012, dpschmie@connect.carleton.ca

Cite this paper for:

• Subjective Randomness: The sense as to which a pattern or sequence seems random. [p142]
• Stochastic Randomness: a sequence or pattern that is random because of how it is constructed, be it natural or computer generated.
• Subjective Complexity: how easily the pattern or system can be categorized or chunked, low subjective complexity would be something like stripes, while high subjective complexity would be a random pattern or string. [142]
• Binary sequences with low Subjective complexity contain regularities which people are sensitive to. [p143]
• High Subjective Complexity is highly correlated to "higher-than-normal" alternation rates in binary sequences. [p143]
• Alternation Rate: the rate at which a sequence seems to be switching from one thing to another.
• Color Distance: the distance between two colors via a three-dimensional color space, in this case CIELAB color space, also known as the alternation rate between colors. [p144]
• CIE76: a 3D color space where you can measure a color by 3 variables [L*, a*, b*], L* being the colors lightness ranging from 0 (black) to 100 (white), a* being the colors position from red/magenta and green while b* is the colors position between yellow and blue. [p144]
• Monte Carlo simulation: a computer program which produces random variations.

A copy of the paper can be found at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com.proxy.library.carleton.ca/doi/10.1111/j.1551-6709.2011.01198.x/citedby

Method of Study

Collected 81 Damien Hirst spot paintings because of their design, they are big white canvases with even spaced different colored dots spread out to form a sort of grid. [p144]

Collected 44 Color Charts that can be found in design. [p144]

The Color charts were put into a matrix and the CIE76 distance was measured and compared. [p145]

The total variation for a specific color chart can be modelled by an equation found on p145. [p145]

The Monte Carlo simulation was used to create random matrices of color and they were compared to the color charts and dot paintings. [p145]

Subjective complexity in colors depends somewhat on color distance. [147]

High variation is stimulating. [147]

Subjective complexity is related to esthetic appeal, arousal, pleasure, and is consistent with EEG findings on subjective complexity. [147]

This suggests that esthetic appeal is related to the extremes of subjective complexity (both high and low). [148]

Summary author's notes: • This summary was done as an undergraduate assingment at Carleton University.

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