Characteristics of fascination: using eye-tracking to explore the impact of spatial frequency on the allocation of attention to nature and urban scenes

Thompson, Catherine; Trawiński, Tobiasz; Beevers, David; Harrison, Neil; Donnelly, Nick

Abstract

Evidence suggests that natural environments capture attention effortlessly, but the mechanisms responsible for attention restoration are not fully understood. In this study, eye movements were recorded whilst participants rated 20 greyscale images (10 nature, 10 urban) shown in their original form and with low or mid-to-high spatial frequencies removed. Participants made fewer, longer fixations to nature scenes, unless mid-to-high spatial frequencies were removed and explored urban scenes more unless low spatial frequencies were removed. Nature scenes were rated as more pleasant, providing mid-to-high spatial frequencies were present, and identification of objects was easier in urban scenes, particularly when mid-to-high spatial frequencies were removed. Further analysis revealed highly consistent gaze behaviour among participants and differences in search were most prominent in the first 5-6 s of viewing. This shows the potential for using eye movements to study individual differences in the perception of, and attention to, nature and urban environments.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Apr 14, 2025
• Online Publication Date: Apr 29, 2025
• Deposit Date: Jun 13, 2025
• Publicly Available Date: Jun 13, 2025
• Journal: Journal of Cognitive Psychology
• Print ISSN: 2044-5911
• Electronic ISSN: 2044-592X
• Publisher: Routledge
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/20445911.2025.2495154