Effects of symmetry, texture, and monocular viewing on geographical slant estimation

Autoren

S Oliver Daum
Heiko Hecht

DOI

10.1016/j.concog.2018.06.015

ISSN

1053-8100

Zeitschrift

Consciousness and Cognition

Sprache

en

Paginierung

183 - 195

Datum der Veröffentlichung

2018

Status

Published

Herausgeber

Elsevier BV

Herausgeber URL

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.concog.2018.06.015

Datum der Datenerfassung

2018

Titel

Effects of symmetry, texture, and monocular viewing on geographical slant estimation

Ausgabe der Zeitschrift

64

Data source: Crossref

Abstract

Hills often appear to be steeper than they are. The unusual magnitude of this error has prompted extensive experimentation. The judgment mode, such as verbal vs. action-based measures, the state of the observer - whether exhausted or well rested - all can influence perceived geographical slant. We hold that slant perception is inherently shaky as soon as the slope in question is no longer palpable, that is if it is outside our personal space. To make this point, we have added symmetry, texture, and depression to the list of factors that might modulate slant perception. When the frontal slope of a hill is to be judged, it appears steeper when the side slopes are steep. We have used model hills close to the subject. Their slopes were judged most accurately when binocular stereoscopic vision was permitted. When closing one eye, observers grossly overestimated all slopes. This error was larger for verbal judgments than for judgments made by indicating the slope with their forearm, however, the pattern of the overestimation remained unchanged. Surface texture mattered surprisingly little. Depressed subjects produced exactly the same results as healthy controls. We conclude that in action space and in vista space (outside immediate personal space), slopes are overestimated because the visual system attempts to turn the 2D retinal stimulus into a regular 3D object, akin to the erection tendency (Aufrichtungstendenz) found in diminished or 2D-stimuli. This tendency is inherently instable and can be swayed by a large number of variables.

Addresses

Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, Germany; German Air Force Center of Aerospace Medicine, Manching, Germany.

Autoren

S Oliver Daum
Heiko Hecht

DOI

10.1016/j.concog.2018.06.015

eISSN

1090-2376

Externe Identifier

PubMed Identifier: 29960827

Open access

false

ISSN

1053-8100

Zeitschrift

Consciousness and cognition

Schlüsselwörter

Humans
Case-Control Studies
Depression
Space Perception
Visual Perception
Judgment
Vision, Binocular
Vision, Monocular
Adolescent
Adult
Middle Aged
Female
Male
Young Adult

Sprache

eng

Medium

Print-Electronic

Online publication date

2018

Paginierung

183 - 195

Datum der Veröffentlichung

2018

Status

Published

Datum der Datenerfassung

2018

Titel

Effects of symmetry, texture, and monocular viewing on geographical slant estimation.

Sub types

Journal Article

Ausgabe der Zeitschrift

64

Data source: Europe PubMed Central

Abstract

Hills often appear to be steeper than they are. The unusual magnitude of this error has prompted extensive experimentation. The judgment mode, such as verbal vs. action-based measures, the state of the observer - whether exhausted or well rested - all can influence perceived geographical slant. We hold that slant perception is inherently shaky as soon as the slope in question is no longer palpable, that is if it is outside our personal space. To make this point, we have added symmetry, texture, and depression to the list of factors that might modulate slant perception. When the frontal slope of a hill is to be judged, it appears steeper when the side slopes are steep. We have used model hills close to the subject. Their slopes were judged most accurately when binocular stereoscopic vision was permitted. When closing one eye, observers grossly overestimated all slopes. This error was larger for verbal judgments than for judgments made by indicating the slope with their forearm, however, the pattern of the overestimation remained unchanged. Surface texture mattered surprisingly little. Depressed subjects produced exactly the same results as healthy controls. We conclude that in action space and in vista space (outside immediate personal space), slopes are overestimated because the visual system attempts to turn the 2D retinal stimulus into a regular 3D object, akin to the erection tendency (Aufrichtungstendenz) found in diminished or 2D-stimuli. This tendency is inherently instable and can be swayed by a large number of variables.

Date of acceptance

2018

Autoren

S Oliver Daum
Heiko Hecht

Autoren-URL

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29960827

DOI

10.1016/j.concog.2018.06.015

eISSN

1090-2376

Zeitschrift

Conscious Cogn

Schlüsselwörter

Bridgeman
Geographical slant
Slope perception
Symmetry
Adolescent
Adult
Case-Control Studies
Depression
Female
Humans
Judgment
Male
Middle Aged
Space Perception
Vision, Binocular
Vision, Monocular
Visual Perception
Young Adult

Sprache

eng

Country

United States

Paginierung

183 - 195

PII

S1053-8100(18)30054-0

Datum der Veröffentlichung

2018

Status

Published

Datum, an dem der Datensatz öffentlich gemacht wurde

2019

Titel

Effects of symmetry, texture, and monocular viewing on geographical slant estimation.

Sub types

Journal Article

Ausgabe der Zeitschrift

64

Data source: PubMed

Effects of symmetry, texture, and monocular viewing on geographical slant estimation

Tools