Viewer-dependent variables

Illumination and object properties interact to provide the stimulus for the receptor mechanisms. There are four parallel systems concerned with different attributes of vision - one for motion, one for colour and two for form (Zeki 

Inherent and learned responses to speeifie events and situations 

Information from receptor mechanisms is processed and judgements made are modified according to the perceiver s specific upbringing and experience. This includes inherited and learned responses to specific subjects and activities. Governing these are such considerations as culture, tradition, fashion, memory, preference and prejudice. 

Colour preference for clothing and decor is heavily dictated by fashion, and hence will be relevant to colours used in the food environment. However, for food itself this is not so. Food colour is vital to our well-being, our visual characteristics probably evolved to ensure the successful selection of good-quality food. Hence we can redecorate the store in different colours from time to time, but we caimot change the colour of staple food items without customer rejection. 

Symbolism of the familiar concerns the routine of everyday life. Everyday foods of correct appearance eaten at normal mealtimes represent secnrity. An incorrectly or uimaturally coloured food arouses suspicion and is unsettling. Archetypal symbolism is the symbolism of psychologists. It is that which may lie in the subconscious part of our personality, for example, red and yellow colours are called warm, blue and green cold. 

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The total appearance of a scene comprises the visual images within us. These images are controlled by viewer-dependent variables and scene-dependent variables. Viewer-dependent variables consist of the viewer s individual visual characteristics, upbringing and preferences, and irrunediate environment. Scene-dependent variables consist of the physics of the constituent materials and their temporal properties combined with the way these are put together, and the scene illumination providing light and shade to define the voltrme and textrrre of the scene. The model considers the build up of appearance images. 

Table 2.1 Total appearance - viewer-dependent variables (Hutehings 1999)...

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