The second stream within the NESP 5.5 project was conducted using eye-tracking technology to examine possible differences between three participant groups in evaluating the aesthetic beauty of GBR underwater sceneries. This research continue the efforts initiated in the previous NESP 3.2.3 project to explore the power of eye-tracking as an objective measure of human aesthetic assessment of GBR underwater sceneries. By employing a sample of three social-cultural groups (non-indigenous Australians, Chinese and First Peoples), this research provides further empirical evidence for the effectiveness of eye-tracking in aesthetic research in a cross-cultural context. Data collected using eye tracking was stored in one Excel file of eye-tracking data exported from Tobii eye-tracking device and 20 heatmaps showing participants’ visual attention to 20 images of underwater GBR sceneries.

Methods:

Following the initial research conducted in the previous NESP 3.2.3 project, 93 participants of various socio-cultural backgrounds (non-indigenous Australians, First People Australians and Chinese) were recruited using convenience sampling in this study. Participants were asked to sit in front of a screen-based eye-tracking equipment (i.e. Tobii T60 eye-tracker) after providing informed consent. Participants were free to look at each picture on screen as long as they wanted during which their eye movements were recorded (similar to lab setting in NESP 3.2.3). They also rated each picture on a 10-point beauty scale (1-Not beautiful at all, 10-Very beautiful). Raw eye-tracking data was then imported to IBM SPSS using SAV. format for data analysis. Raw eye-tracking data was then extracted from Tobii eye-tracking device (i.e. picture beauty, time to first fixation, fixation count, fixation duration and total visit time) in Exel format. Twenty heatmaps in Png format generated from the eye-tracking software to show participants’ visual attention were also included. As an extension of the previous study conducted within the NESP 3.2.3 project, data collected was used to examine the influences of social-cultural differences in aesthetic assessment of GBR underwater sceneries.

Advanced technologies were used in combination with self-reporting measurements for a better understanding of socio-cultural differences and socio-cultural influences on aesthetic assessment among three groups. Eye-tracking provides a measure of visual attention, enabling researchers to explore further potential differences among three groups regarding their interest in viewing and assessing the GBR aesthetics. Previous research (NESP 3.2.3) demonstrated that eye-tracking measures of viewers' visual attention (i.e., fixation duration and fixation count) and aesthetic ratings are correlated, suggesting the usefulness of eye-tracking in aesthetic research. This study verifies the usefulness of eye-tracking in aesthetic research in a cross-cultural context. Participants were exposed to 20 images of underwater GBR scenery in random order which were used in the previous focus groups.

Further information can be found in the following publication:

Le, D., Becken, S., & Whitford, M. (2020) A cross-cultural investigation of the great barrier Reef aesthetics using eye-tracking and face-reader technologies. Report to the National Environmental Science Program. Reef and Rainforest Research Centre Limited, Cairns. Published online at https://nesptropical.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/NESP-TWQ-Project-5.5-Technical-Report-2.pdf

Format:

The eye-tracking folder contains one Excel file containing raw eye-tracking data and 20 heatmaps generated from eye-tracking software in Png format.

Data Dictionary:

- Beauty1: Name of the corresponding GBR underwater picture used in the eye-tracking experiment

- ABeauty1: Aesthetic evaluations of the corresponding picture (e.g., Beauty1)

- EBeauty1: Aesthetic emotion (i.e., pleasant) of the corresponding picture (e.g., Beauty1)

- FD_Beauty1: Fixation duration in the picture Beauty1 (i.e. the average length of all fixations during all recordings in the whole picture). A longer fixation means that the object is more engaging in some way. Measurement unit:

- AOIFD_Beauty1: Fixation duration in the central area of interest (AOI) in picture Beauty1 (i.e. the average length of all fixations during all recordings in the whole picture). A longer fixation means that the object is more engaging in some way.

- FC_Beauty1: Fixation count in the picture Beauty1 (i.e. the average number of fixations in the picture).

- AOIFC_Beauty1: Fixation count in the central area of interest (AOI) in picture Beauty1 (i.e. the average number of fixations in the picture).

Similar labels are used for other pictures, including Beauty 2,3,4; Human 1,3,5,6; Medium 1,2,3,4; Restoration 1,2,3,8 and Ugly 1,2,3,4.

Further information can be found in the following publication:

Le, D., Becken, S., & Whitford, M. (2020) A cross-cultural investigation of the great barrier Reef aesthetics using eye-tracking and face-reader technologies. Report to the National Environmental Science Program. Reef and Rainforest Research Centre Limited, Cairns. Published online at https://nesptropical.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/NESP-TWQ-Project-5.5-Technical-Report-2.pdf

References:

Murray, N., Marchesotti, M. & Perronnin, F (2012). AVA: A Large-Scale Database for Aesthetic Visual Analysis. Available (09/10/17) http://refbase.cvc.uab.es/files/MMP2012a.pdf

Data Location:

This dataset is filed in the eAtlas enduring data repository at: data\custodian\2019-2022-NESP-TWQ-5\5.5_Measuring-aesthetics