A method and apparatus for automatically determining salient features for object classification is provided. In accordance with one embodiment, one or more unique features are extracted from a first content group of objects to form a first feature list, and one or more unique features are extracted from a second anti-content group of objects to form a second feature list. A ranked list of features is then created by applying statistical differentiation between unique features of the first feature list and unique features of the second feature list. A set of salient features is then identified from the resulting ranked list of features.