DOES LOOKING BETWEEN THE LEGS ELONGATES OR SHORTENS PERCEIVED DISTANCE – COMPARING THE TWO TASKS
Last modified: 2011-10-02
Abstract
Higashiyama used verbal judgement task and showed that distances observed between the legs are perceived as shorter than distances viewed from an upright position. Using distance matching task, we showed that distances observed between the legs are perceived as longer, but we didn’t control for retinal image orientation. The aim of present research was to compare verbal judgement and distance matching task, with constant retinal image orientation. The experiment was performed in a dark room, without retinal image orientation change. First task for the 14 participants was to equalize the distances of two luminous stimuli, one of which was placed in front of them, and the other one behind, on three distances, 1m, 3m and 5m. Second task was to give verbal judgements for stimuli distances, one observed by standing, and the other one by looking between the legs. For the first task, results have shown significant effect of body position (F(1,13)=26.14, p<0.01), standard distance (F(2,26)=3343.11, p<0.01), and their interaction (F(2,26)=12.42, p<0.01). For the second task, results have shown significant effect of body position (F(1,13)=8.76, p<0.01), standard distance (F(2,26)=42.94, p<0.01), and no interaction. In both tasks distances viewed between the legs were perceived as larger that the distances viewed from an upright position.
References
Higashiyama, A., Adachi, K. (2006). Perceied size and perceived distance of targets viewed from between the legs: Evidence for proprioceptive theory. Vision Research, 46, 3961-3976. Tošković, O. (2009). Brave upside-down world: verbal judgements versus matching task in distance perception. 32-th European Conference on Visual Perception, Regensburg, Germany. Perception (supplement), 38, p. 40.