以信息熵理論探討視覺特徵信息對審美性與注目性之影響——以海報設計為例

Influences of Visual Feature Information on Aesthetics & Attention by Applying Information Entropy Theory-A Case Study of Poster Design

本研究導入「信息熵理論」於視覺搜尋辨識模式，並探討設計作品與觀賞者間，所產生的審美性與信息量的關聯性，以及此兩者對畫面搜尋的視覺注意力是否會產生相關影響。根據先前文獻發現，許多關於複雜度的研究，其實都非常模擬兩可。在視覺傳達設計領域，部分研究以「視覺訊息的密度」計算複雜度，圖像密度，包括：線條頻率、質感密度、圖文信息等，因此，當視覺密度愈高，則信息愈複雜。但本研究認為，有關視覺複雜度的呈現，不單只是表面圖文的密度而已，關鍵在於「視覺特徵信息」承載量的多寡，例如，有些圖形表現手法雖然簡潔且質感密度非常低，但因為屬於低熟悉度的關係，而導致其傳達與認知趨於複雜性。視覺特徵信息的審美性評量，是具有相當高的不確定性。因此，導入信息熵理論探求複雜度，如果加以整合有關視覺搜尋辨識的注目性觀點，或許可以解開部分視覺傳達設計的神秘黑箱。

This study introduces the concept of information entropy into the modeling of visual searching. The relationship between the perceived level of aesthetics and the amount of information that is delivered from designs to appreciators is investigated. Observations are made on whether the two factors influence the level of visual attention during picture searching tasks. The literature indicates that past research results on visual complexity are ambiguous. In this research, we found that the level of visual complexity not only relates to the density of pictures and texts in a design, but, more importantly, it depends on the loading of 'visual feature information.' For example: the performance can be low for some pictures with low density of pictures and texts, due to complication in communication and recognition caused by less familiarity. Because aesthetic evaluations of visual feature information have high level of uncertainty, the theory of information entropy was introduced to examine the complexity. Combining this and attention study of visual searching and recognition, we might partially open the mysterious black box of visual communication design.