Dynamic and Stochastic Influences on Spiral Structure in the Flocculent Spiral NGC 4414

We present new Hα, CO, and H I images of the high gas surface density flocculent spiral NGC 4414 and compare them to recently published near-infrared observations that reveal kiloparsec-scale structures in the inner disk. The subtraction of an estimated supergiant contribution confirms that the near-infrared enhancements represent primarily variations in the surface density of the old stellar population. As material structures of kiloparsec extent cannot be maintained in a differentially rotating disk for sufficiently long times to be discernible in the old stellar population, the near-infrared observations suggest that global dynamical processes contribute to the formation of structure in NGC 4414. However, variations in the distribution of CO, H I, and Hα peaks with respect to near-infrared ``arm'' structures suggest that stochastic processes are also important.