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ERIC Number: EJ931671
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2010-Oct
Pages: 8
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0096-1523
EISSN: N/A
When and How Are Spatial Perceptions Scaled?
Witt, Jessica K.; Proffitt, Dennis R.; Epstein, William
Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, v36 n5 p1153-1160 Oct 2010
This research was designed to test the predictions of 2 approaches to perception. By most traditional accounts, people are thought to derive general-purpose spatial perceptions that are scaled in arbitrary, unspecified units. In contrast, action-specific approaches propose that the angular information inherent in optic flow and ocular-motor adjustments is rescaled and transformed into units related to intended actions. A number of studies have shown, for example, that the apparent distance to targets is scaled by the effort required to walk the extent. Such studies can be accommodated by the traditional account by asserting that the experimental manipulations of walking effort influenced not perception itself, but rather postperceptual response processes. The current studies were designed to assess when and how action-specific influences on distance perception have their effects. The results supported the action-specific account. (Contains 6 figures.)
American Psychological Association. Journals Department, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002-4242. Tel: 800-374-2721; Tel: 202-336-5510; Fax: 202-336-5502; e-mail: order@apa.org; Web site: http://www.apa.org/publications
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A