the innate capability of a stimulus to induce arousal. According to British-born Canadian psychologist Daniel E. Berlyne (1924-1976), a preference for a work of art, for example, is due to the amount of general arousal it produces. This derives from its psychophysical properties (e.g., intensity), collative properties (e.g., novelty), and ecological properties (meaningfulness, or signal value) to an individual. See also isohedonic trap.