Perceptual Grouping in Artists and Non-Artists: A Psychophysical Comparison

Abstract

Are advantages in complex object perception that have been observed in artists supported by advantages in more basic perceptual processes? To address this question, we compared artists and non-artists on a psychophysical task measuring perceptual grouping thresholds in order to test for group differences in sensitivity to perceptual grouping cues. Participants viewed grids of dots that could be perceptually grouped into a series of lines. The level of organization of stimuli was progressively reduced until perceived grouping was ambiguous. While artists were not observed to have an overall advantage relative to non-artists, non-artists exhibited sex differences in perceptual grouping sensitivity that artists did not. This suggests that the visual systems of male and female artists may be less differentiated than non-artist males and females.