Artificial intelligence-generated imagery appears to be significantly less stimulating when viewers perceive it as synthetic rather than authentic. This intriguing discovery comes from a recent study conducted by European cognitive researchers and published in the journal Cognition and Emotion. The study’s results could have significant implications for understanding human interactions with AI-generated content, especially as the internet continues to overflow with such imagery.
Researchers from Italy’s IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca, Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies, Roma Tre University, and Finland’s University of Jyväskylä joined forces to explore this phenomenon. They recruited over 160 participants to evaluate images featuring men and women in underwear or swimsuits. The participants were asked to rate their arousal levels as well as to judge whether they believed each image was real or AI-generated.
The study was conducted in two phases. In the first phase, 57 participants were recruited via social media and academic mailing lists. These participants were shown a series of 60 provocative images, some authentic and others created by AI. They were then asked to rate their arousal on a scale from one to six. Following this, they had to estimate the likelihood of each image being AI-generated. As anticipated, the results showed that participants felt more aroused by images they thought were real compared to those they believed were AI-generated.
To strengthen their initial findings, the researchers conducted a second phase of the study involving an additional 108 participants. This group was similarly asked to rate their arousal, this time with half of the images explicitly labeled as AI-generated and the other half labeled as real. Alongside the arousal ratings, participants’ attitudes towards AI were also gauged using a 2023 scale about AI attitudes. Unsurprisingly, the findings mirrored those of the first phase: participants were generally more aroused by images they believed to be genuine.
However, the researchers uncovered further nuances. Even when participants believed an image to be AI-generated, it still had the capability to arouse them, although to a lesser extent than real images. This was particularly evident among male participants. According to study authors Alessandro Demichelis and Alessandro Ansani, while AI-generated images are less arousing than real ones, they still elicit a notable response.
The implications of this study are quite broad. AI-generated images are becoming increasingly prevalent, offering both opportunities and dangers. In the realm of sexual arousal, these findings suggest that AI-generated content won’t replace real-world imagery anytime soon. The mere perception that an image is artificial is sufficient to reduce its arousing effect.
As we navigate an era filled with AI-generated content, understanding the psychological impact of these images is crucial. This study provides valuable insights into human cognition and emotion, underscoring the complex relationship between perception and arousal. The next frontier in AI and human interaction will likely continue to explore these fascinating dynamics, revealing more about how we engage with the artificial representations of reality.
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