虚拟场景中不同客体朝向条件对内在参照系建立的影响

通过眼动记录和部分场景再认两种方法,探讨了虚拟建筑物对称场景中物体朝向统一、凸显两种条件对内在参照系建立的影响。结果发现:(1)场景中均为有朝向建筑物且朝向统一时,被试选择物体朝向与对称轴建立内在参照系的可能性没有差异;(2)场景中只有一个有朝向建筑物,其余均为无朝向物体时,即朝向凸显条件下,被试倾向于选择对称轴来建立内在参照系。物体朝向对内在参照系建立的影响作用具有局限性和不稳定性。     

物体相似性对空间表征的影响：来自眼动的证据

以三维场景图片为实验材料,采用眼动追踪技术,通过两个实验考察了对称场景中物体相似性对空间表征的影响。结果表明：（1）无相似物体条件下,场景本身的内在结构对空间表征有重要影响,对称轴方向可以作为空间表征参照方向;（2）存在部分相似物体条件下,物体的相似性会影响空间表征参照方向的选择,并且相似物体方向也是空间表征的参照方向之一。     

空间场景表征中的参照系选取

被试在矩形房间中从两个不同的观察点学习物体场景并在多个朝向上对物体形成的空间关系进行判断,通过控制场景中物体主要内在轴相对于环境结构（房间和地毯）的方向和被试的学习顺序,探讨被试在场景空间表征中采用何种参照系和参照系选取时的影响因素。两个实验结果发现：（1）内在参照系（intrinsic reference systems）和环境参照系均可以用于物体场景的表征,两类参照系之间的关系却是影响被试物体场景表征时参照系选取的重要因素,即当内在参照系与环境参照系方向一致时,被试无论从哪个朝向学习,都选择从垂直于内在参照系和环境参照系的朝向进行表征。反之,当二者方向不一致时,表征时参照系的选择取决于被试的学习经历;（2）无论内在参照系与环境参照系方向是否一致,物体场景本身内在结构的规则性都能够促进空间记忆,即内在结构的规则性既有助于准确编码物体的相对位置,也有助于提高空间关系判断的准确性。     

多视点学习条件下空间表征的朝向特异性

让被试在没有外界参照线索的条件下,从三个观察视点学习物体场景,首次以局部场景再认范式探讨了空间记忆中场景表征的朝向特异性。结果表明：（1）多视点学习条件下,场景空间表征依然是依赖于特定朝向的,不支持空间表征独立于朝向和空间表征依赖于多个观察朝向的观点。（2）场景空间表征的朝向依赖性不仅表现于方位判断任务,也同样表现于场景再认任务。（3）场景本身的内在结构对空间表征中参照系的选取有重要影响。     

对想象环境的空间更新

学界传统上将空间更新定义为个体随着身体运动对其所处真实环境空间表征的自动更新过程, 然而近年来有研究发现个体还可以对想象环境进行空间更新, 但其机制尚不明确。本研究实验1被试站在场景内学习物体空间位置之后, 保持学习朝向直线走到测试位置。其中, 0度组保持学习朝向站立, 180度组原地转动180度, 面对学习朝向的相反方向站立。两组被试均想象自己仍然站在学习位置, 面对学习朝向。然后被试旋转90度, 从3个想象朝向(记忆一致朝向、感觉运动一致朝向和不一致朝向)完成空间判断任务。结果发现0度组记忆一致朝向和感觉运动一致朝向成绩均优于不一致朝向, 而180度组无此优势。实验2被试从学习空间移动到测试空间过程中被迷向, 其他条件与实验1的180度组相同。但是, 实验2被试在记忆一致朝向和感觉运动一致朝向的成绩均优于不一致朝向。结果证明人们可以通过对在线空间表征进行想象平移或将离线记忆与空间更新系统相联结两种方式, 对想象环境进行空间更新。     

空间参照系建立的时间特征*

通过2个实验来探讨空间记忆参照系建立的时间特征。被试学习一个由7个物体组成的场景,场景中的物体以随机的方式序列呈现。一个能够标明物体位置且具有对称结构的场景分别在被试进行物体位置学习之前或之后呈现。研究结果发现:当被试在学习物体位置之前短暂呈现场景结构,场景结构能够决定空间参照系的建立;但被试学习物体位置之后再短暂呈现场景结构,场景结构不能决定空间参照系的建立。以上结果表明:空间参照系是在学习物体位置之前建立,并且建立之后不能被改变。     

表征动量的朝向效应

本研究通过4个实验探索运动物体的朝向对表征动量的影响。4个实验均使用了2(朝向：正向vs.倒向)×2(运动方向：左vs.右/上vs.下)两因素实验设计。前3个实验使用不同的刺激材料进行水平方向的诱导运动, 结果发现, 正向运动的前移量大于倒向运动的前移量, 但这种朝向效应仅仅作用于水平向右方向, 即运动方向水平向左时朝向效应消失。实验4将运动方向改为垂直运动, 结果发现, 正向运动的前移量大于倒向运动的前移量, 但这种朝向效应仅仅作用于垂直向下方向, 即运动方向垂直向上时朝向效应消失。结论：朝向影响表征动量, 但仅作用于水平向右和垂直向下方向上, 前者可能和阅读习惯有关, 后者可能和重力作用有关。     

学前儿童基于物体重量归纳推理的发展:中美跨文化比较

关于物体重量认知的研究是探讨儿童整个认知发展的重要途径之一。本文通过两个实验考察了美国和中国儿童利用语言标签基于重量进行归纳推理的发展特点及跨文化一致性。实验人员利用语言标签提示三个外部知觉特征完全相似物体中的一个物体,随后要求儿童从剩余两个物体中选择一个他们认为和目标物体共享语言标签的物体。研究考察儿童是否能够基于物体的内在属性重量进行类别判断。结果显示:(1) 4岁和5岁儿童以重量进行归纳推理显著高于3岁儿童, 4岁和5岁儿童之间的差异不显著;(2)美国和中国4岁和5岁儿童的表现均显著高于随机水平, 3岁儿童与随机水平没有显著差异;(3)美国2岁儿童的表现边缘低于随机水平, 6岁儿童显著高于随机水平。总之,儿童利用语言标签进行基于重量的归纳推理随年龄增长而发展;美国和中国儿童在发展特点及年龄转折上具有跨文化一致性, 4岁儿童具备了利用语言标签进行基于物体内在属性归纳推理的能力。     

启动语言对汉-英双语者场景一致性判断的影响

采用眼动技术考察启动语言对场景一致性判断的影响, 要求汉-英双语者判断启动短语与图片场景的一致性。研究发现, 启动语言影响汉-英双语者的场景知觉：(1)无论是英语短语启动, 还是汉语短语启动, 前景物体均能够更多更早地获得关注, 这与英语短语和汉语短语的所指相同有关; (2)语言特性影响被试的眼动轨迹：在英语短语启动下, 背景信息后置引导被试对背景进行了额外的、快速的关注; 在汉语短语启动下, 被试的注视由前景区转至背景区的时间较晚且注视比例较小; (3)任务加工深度影响汉英双语者的场景知觉。     

基于场景记忆的参照系整合过程中的物体方位判断

以绝对方位中的物体方位判断为实验任务,并按照以往研究把判断过程进行分解为获取目标位置信息、获取前行方向信息和判断目标物体相对于参照物体的方位信息,旨在考察不同信息获取过程下的目标位置和前行方向如何影响基于场景记忆的参照系整合过程中的绝对方位判断。实验1的判断任务同时包括这三个过程;实验2和实验3中的判断任务分别独立于路径描述（即定位后判断,先获知目标位置信息,再进行方位判断）和自身定向（即定向后判断,先获取前行方向信息,再进行方位判断）。每个任务均为目标位置（R0o－前、R45o－左前/右前、R90o－左/右、R135o－左后/右后, R180o－后）×前行方向（北、东南西、斜方向）的组内设计、因变量为正确率和判断时间为主,共有60名大学生被试（男女各半）参与实验。发现：朝北优势效应只在实验1中明显;三个实验任务中均存在正方向－左右位置优势效应、以及0o和180o位置优势效应;目标位置对物体方位判断的影响程度要大于前行方向对判断的影响程度。结合以往的研究来看,场景记忆上的判断比视觉媒介上的同类判断受目标位置影响的程度要大,其他影响模式比较一致。从判断的信息获取过程上对结果进行了讨论,这有助于理解绝对方位判断的认知结构     

Intrinsic array structure is neither necessary nor sufficient for nonegocentric coding of spatial layouts

Mou and McNamara (2002) have recently theorized that nonegocentric reference frames (viz., intrinsic reference frames, based on the spatial structure of a configuration of objects) are used to organize spatial relationships in memory. The theory has not made claims about whether the intrinsic structure of a stimulus array is necessary or sufficient for such nonegocentric coding. We demonstrate that salient intrinsic axes in a layout of objects are neither necessary nor sufficient for people to use a nonegocentric reference frame in organizing spatial memory. In Experiment 1, participants were successfully instructed to adopt a nonegocentric preferred direction in memory for an array of objects with no salient intrinsic reference axes. In Experiment 2, with no instructions, participants adopted an egocentric preferred direction for an array with a salient intrinsic axis. These results suggest that physically salient array structure exerts a minimal influence in the coding of spatial memory through nonegocentric reference frames.     

Cross-sensory transfer of reference frames in spatial memory

Two experiments investigated whether visual cues influence spatial reference frame selection for locations learned through touch. Participants experienced visual cues emphasizing specific environmental axes and later learned objects through touch. Visual cues were manipulated and haptic learning conditions were held constant. Imagined perspective taking when recalling touched objects was best from perspectives aligned with visually-defined axes, providing evidence for cross-sensory reference frame transfer. These findings advance spatial memory theory by demonstrating that multimodal spatial information can be integrated within a common spatial representation.     

Haptic experiences influence visually acquired memories: Reference frames during multimodal spatial learning

In two experiments, we investigated whether reference frames acquired through touch could influence memories for locations learned through vision. Participants learned two objects through touch, and haptic egocentric (Experiment 1) and environmental (Experiment 2) cues encouraged selection of a specific reference frame. Participants later learned eight new objects through vision. Haptic cues were manipulated, whereas visual learning was held constant in order to observe any potential influence of the haptically experienced reference frame on memories for visually learned locations. When the haptically experienced reference frame was defined primarily by egocentric cues, cue manipulation had no effect on memories for objects learned through vision. Instead, visually learned locations were remembered using a reference frame selected from the visual study perspective. When the haptically experienced reference frame was defined by both egocentric and environmental cues, visually learned objects were remembered in the context of the haptically experienced reference frame. These findings support the common reference frame hypothesis, which proposes that locations learned through different sensory modalities are represented within a common reference frame.     

Reference frame preferences in haptics differ for the blind and sighted in the horizontal but not in the vertical plane

We investigated which reference frames are preferred when matching spatial language to the haptic domain. Sighted, low-vision, and blind participants were tested on a haptic-sentence-verification task where participants had to haptically explore different configurations of a ball and a shoe and judge the relation between them. Results from the spatial relation "above", in the vertical plane, showed that various reference frames are available after haptic inspection of a configuration. Moreover, the pattern of results was similar for all three groups and resembled patterns found for the sighted on visual sentence-verification tasks. In contrast, when judging the spatial relation "in front", in the horizontal plane, the blind showed a markedly different response pattern. The sighted and low-vision participants did not show a clear preference for either the absolute/relative or the intrinsic reference frame when these frames were dissociated. The blind, on the other hand, showed a clear preference for the intrinsic reference frame. In the absence of a dominant cue, such as gravity in the vertical plane, the blind might emphasise the functional relationship between the objects owing to enhanced experience with haptic exploration of objects.     

Intrinsic frames of reference in haptic spatial learning

It has been proposed that spatial reference frames with which object locations are specified in memory are intrinsic to a to-be-remembered spatial layout (intrinsic reference theory). Although this theory has been supported by accumulating evidence, it has only been collected from paradigms in which the entire spatial layout was simultaneously visible to observers. The present study was designed to examine the generality of the theory by investigating whether the geometric structure of a spatial layout (bilateral symmetry) influences selection of spatial reference frames when object locations are sequentially learned through haptic exploration. In two experiments, participants learned the spatial layout solely by touch and performed judgments of relative direction among objects using their spatial memories. Results indicated that the geometric structure can provide a spatial cue for establishing reference frames as long as it is accentuated by explicit instructions (Experiment 1) or alignment with an egocentric orientation (Experiment 2). These results are entirely consistent with those from previous studies in which spatial information was encoded through simultaneous viewing of all object locations, suggesting that the intrinsic reference theory is not specific to a type of spatial memory acquired by the particular learning method but instead generalizes to spatial memories learned through a variety of encoding conditions. In particular, the present findings suggest that spatial memories that follow the intrinsic reference theory function equivalently regardless of the modality in which spatial information is encoded.     

Effects of object asymmetry on visual attention

Unilateral neglect has been demonstrated relative to the intrinsic left side of objects, even when presented in the preserved hemispace. These results have been interpreted as evidence of an object-centered reference frame. In the present study, neurologically normal individuals were presented with letter stimuli having distinguishing features to the right (R) or left (J) of their intrinsic midline, shown in normal and mirror parity, and in six angle rotations. RTs confirmed that participants rotated the letters to the upright to decide parity: such rotation would align the object-centered and viewer-centered frames of reference, suggesting that not controlling for mental rotation would confound this effect. In addition, a dot, presented lateral to the main letter stimulus, resulted in quicker parity decisions when on the maximally-informative side of the letter. Together, the results suggest that apparent object-centered neglect may arise from the combined effects of mental rotation and within-object information asymmetries.