Table 1 presents the calculated means, standard deviations (Supplementary Table 1 for the results of the ANOVA).
Table 1. Descriptive statistics for each condition
|
Expert
|
Novice
|
|
Low ambiguity
|
High ambiguity
|
Low ambiguity
|
High ambiguity
|
Beauty
|
4.30
|
1.39
|
4.34
|
1.20
|
3.97
|
1.53
|
3.85
|
1.45
|
Perceived ambiguity
|
2.84
|
1.30
|
3.86
|
1.41
|
2.23
|
1.36
|
4.55
|
1.67
|
Interest
|
4.28
|
1.41
|
4.49
|
1.21
|
4.30
|
1.52
|
4.15
|
1.51
|
Valence
|
4.58
|
1.47
|
4.09
|
1.21
|
4.71
|
1.65
|
3.60
|
1.31
|
Arousal
|
4.65
|
1.27
|
4.38
|
1.17
|
4.33
|
1.53
|
3.92
|
1.32
|
Liking
|
4.34
|
1.44
|
4.25
|
1.24
|
4.24
|
1.60
|
3.52
|
1.36
|
Second, based on H1, we used a linear mixed model to examine whether haiku’s ambiguity and expertise explain beauty and liking. We computed the aesthetic evaluations of low- and high-ambiguity haikus using the linear mixed model for each expert and novice. In the model explaining beauty, the main effect of expertise (b = .32, SE = .15, t = 2.07, p = .04) was significant, but the haiku’s ambiguity (b = -.12, SE = .21, t = -.58, p = .56) and interaction between expertise and haiku’s ambiguity (b = .17, SE = .12, t = 1.40, p = .16; Figure 1A) were not significant. The experts rated the haikus as more beautiful than the novices. In the model explaining liking, the main effects of a haiku’s ambiguity (b = -.71, SE = .16, t = -4.35, p < .001) and the interaction (b = .63, SE = .13, t = 4.91, p < .001) were significant, while the main effect of expertise (b = .10, SE = .17, t = 0.60, p = .55) was not significant (Figure 1B). Experts did not differ in their liking for high- and low-ambiguity haikus (p = .96), while novices did (p < .01).
Third, we examined how experts and novices perceived the ambiguity of low- and high-ambiguity haikus. Using a linear mixed model with perceived ambiguity as the dependent variable revealed that the main effects of a haiku’s ambiguity (b = 2.32, SE = .15, t = 15.93, p < .001), expertise (b = .60, SE = .22, t = 2.79, p = .008), and their interaction (b = -1.30, SE = .13, t = -10.29, p < .001) were all significant (Figure 2). Additionally, we plotted a scatterplot of the perceived ambiguity and liking[4] of the 40 haikus according to expertise (Figure 3). Experts had fewer clear boundaries of perceived ambiguity for low- and high-ambiguity haikus (smaller variance), whereas novices had clearer boundaries.
Fourth, we investigated the effect of perceived ambiguity on aesthetic evaluation using a linear mixed model. The difference in comparison to the second analysis is that the independent variable in the second analysis, haiku’s ambiguity, was an experimental condition that was divided a priori by novices, whereas the analysis here captured the relationships between the data from the main study. For beauty, the main effect of expertise (b = .41, SE = .14, t = 2.83, p = .01) was significant, while the main effect of perceived ambiguity (b = -.00, SE = .03, t = -.01, p = .99) and interaction (b = -.06, SE = .04, t = -1.40, p = .16) was not statistically significant (Figure 4A). For liking, the main effects of expertise (b = .42, SE = .15, t = 2.70, p = .01) and perceived ambiguity (b = -.10, SE = .03, t = -3.29, p = .001) were significant; the interaction (b = .07, SE = .04, t = 1.53, p = .12) was not statistically significant (Figure 4B).
Fourth, we investigated the effect of perceived ambiguity on aesthetic evaluation using a linear mixed model. The difference in comparison to the second analysis is that the independent variable in the second analysis, haiku’s ambiguity, was an experimental condition that was divided a priori by novices, whereas the analysis here captured the relationships between the data from the main study. For beauty, the main effect of expertise (b = .41, SE = .14, t = 2.83, p = .01) was significant, while the main effect of perceived ambiguity (b = -.00, SE = .03, t = -.01, p = .99) and interaction (b = -.06, SE = .04, t = -1.40, p = .16) was not statistically significant (Figure 4A). For liking, the main effects of expertise (b = .42, SE = .15, t = 2.70, p = .01) and perceived ambiguity (b = -.10, SE = .03, t = -3.29, p = .001) were significant; the interaction (b = .07, SE = .04, t = 1.53, p = .12) was not statistically significant (Figure 4B).
Finally, although the results of the fourth analysis above showed no interaction between perceived ambiguity and expertise in terms of aesthetic evaluation, we examined the influence of interest as a mediating variable between perceived ambiguity and liking[5] at each level of expertise (expert vs. novice) in accordance with H3. As for experts (Figure 5A), perceived ambiguity had a significantly negative effect on liking (b = -.17, SE = .02, z = -5.16, p < .001) and a significantly positive effect on interest (b = .09, SE = .03, z = 2.77, p = .01). Interest also had a positive effect on liking (b = .75, SE = .03, z = 30.31, p < .001). Thus, the indirect effect of perceived ambiguity via interest was also statistically significant (bindirect effect = .07, SE = .02, z = 2.76, p = .01), and the overall effect of perceived ambiguity on liking was negative in this direction but non-significant (boverall effect = -.05, SE = .03, z = -1.51, p = .13). For novices (Figure 5B), perceived ambiguity had a significantly negative effect on liking (b = -.12, SE = .02, z = -6.25, p < .001) but no significant effect on interest (b = -.01, SE = .03, z = -.22, p = .83). The effect of interest on liking was positive (b = .70, SE = .03, z = 28.31, p < .001). The indirect effect of perceived ambiguity via interest was not significant (bindirect effect = -.004, SE = .02, z = -.22, p = .83), while the overall negative effect of perceived ambiguity on liking remained significant (boverall effect = -.13, SE = .03, z = -4.57, p < .001).
[4] In the analysis related to H1 (Figure 1), the only interaction that was confirmed was liking, so only liking is presented here.
[5] This analysis was conducted for liking only, as the interaction in the first analysis and the main effects of perceived ambiguity and expertise in the fourth analysis were significant for liking.