Individual Differences in Perceived Complexity, Visual Discomfort, and Preference for Images Varying in Spectral Scaling

Participants (N = 89) rated preference, discomfort, and perceived complexity of grayscale, thresholded, edge and mountain profile images varying in spectral scaling properties. Participants also completed self-report questionnaires designed to measure neurodivergent (CATI, ASRS) or sensory processing sensitivity (CHYPS-V, SPQ-S). Across image types, perceived complexity and discomfort declined as the spectral slope parameter increased, whereas preference increased from the shallowest to the intermediate slopes and then plateaued. Self-reported autistic-like traits, ADHD-like traits, and sensory sensitivity were largely unrelated to overall rating levels but showed small associations with how ratings changed across spectral slope. These findings support treating complexity, discomfort, and preference as related but non-equivalent visual judgments, with trait-related influences expressed mainly as modest variation in sensitivity to spectral scaling.