TY - JOUR
T1 - Holding an object one is looking at
T2 - Kinesthetic information on the object's distance does not improve visual judgments of its size
AU - Brenner, Eli
AU - Van Damme, Wim J.M.
AU - Smeets, Jeroen B.J.
PY - 1997/10
Y1 - 1997/10
N2 - Visual judgments of distance are often inaccurate. Nevertheless, information on distance must be procured if retinal image size is to be used to judge an object's dimensions. In the present study, we examined whether kinesthetic information about an object's distance - based on the posture of the arm and hand when holding it - influences the object's perceived size. Subjects were presented with a computer simulation of a cube. This cube's position was coupled to that of a rod in the subject's hand. Its size was varied between presentations. Subjects had to judge whether the cube they saw was larger than, smaller than, or the same size as a reference. On some presentations, a small difference was introduced between the positions of the rod and of the simulated cube. When the simulated cube was slightly closer than the rod, subjects judged the cube to be larger. When it was farther away, they judged it to be smaller. We show that these changes in perceived size are due to alterations in the cube's distance from the subject rather than to kinesthetic information.
AB - Visual judgments of distance are often inaccurate. Nevertheless, information on distance must be procured if retinal image size is to be used to judge an object's dimensions. In the present study, we examined whether kinesthetic information about an object's distance - based on the posture of the arm and hand when holding it - influences the object's perceived size. Subjects were presented with a computer simulation of a cube. This cube's position was coupled to that of a rod in the subject's hand. Its size was varied between presentations. Subjects had to judge whether the cube they saw was larger than, smaller than, or the same size as a reference. On some presentations, a small difference was introduced between the positions of the rod and of the simulated cube. When the simulated cube was slightly closer than the rod, subjects judged the cube to be larger. When it was farther away, they judged it to be smaller. We show that these changes in perceived size are due to alterations in the cube's distance from the subject rather than to kinesthetic information.
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U2 - 10.3758/BF03205528
DO - 10.3758/BF03205528
M3 - Article
C2 - 9360486
AN - SCOPUS:0031242083
SN - 0031-5117
VL - 59
SP - 1153
EP - 1159
JO - Perception & Psychophysics
JF - Perception & Psychophysics
IS - 7
ER -