The Twofold Role of Subjective Fluency in Displeasing but Preferable Visual Artworks: Self-Report and Eye-Tracking analysis

Subjective fluency affects preference evaluation in daily objects through two routes: increasing preference (‘hedonic effect’) and amplifying valence effects on preference (‘amplifying effect’). Contrarily, empirical aesthetics suggest that contextual knowledge, the primary source of fluency, prevents valence-dependent appreciation, challenging the amplifying effect model. Here, we examined the dual effects of fluency on preference for visual artworks with varying valence. We found that fluency increased preference and weakened valence effects. Using an eye-tracking approach, we also investigated the cognitive mechanism bridging fluency and preference. We hypothesized that contextual information facilitates controlled processing-related eye movement, and this gazing behavior enhances fluency and preference. While contextual information facilitated controlled processing and fluency, controlled eye movement did not mediate its effect on fluency. Although our findings motivate further research into the complex interplay between processing style and fluency, they elucidate art-specific affect-fluency-preference interactions.