Impact of object salience in physical and digital exhibitions: a visitor attention study
Author
Zıraman, Ayça Turgay
Advisor
İmamoğlu, Çağrı
Date
2018-10Publisher
Bilkent University
Language
English
Type
ThesisItem Usage Stats
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Abstract
More often than not, multiple exhibit objects are displayed, rather than a single
exhibit object, in a single exhibition space. This situation might induce a
competition for visitor attention between the objects. As an attempt to elucidate
the nature of this competition, this study addresses the influence of the salience
layout of exhibit objects on the distribution of visitor attention in physical and
digital environments. Among various salience parameters previously
determined in the literature, size and three-dimensionality are investigated in
this thesis. A set of field experiments utilizing unobtrusive observation, and selfadministered
questionnaires were employed to collect data. In an alternative
approach to the existing visitor studies in Turkey, the empirical design involved
a high level of control. The results have revealed the ways visitor attention to
individual exhibit objects and exhibitions in overall could be influenced by [1]
the presence of a more salient object within a set of less salient objects, [2]
ordinal position of exhibit objects with different salience levels, [3] the physical
or digital nature of the exhibition space, and [4] size and three-dimensionality
as exhibit object parameters.