Linear perspective and perceived size

A recent investigation (McDermott, 1965) revealed individual cues to distance had little effect on the perception of size. The present investigation paired each distance cue with linear perspective to determine the effect on size of combined distance cues. Separate groups of Ss were run in each of six combined cue conditions at three distances. For the most part, size matches were made in terms of retinal image size. It was hypothesized that relative or familiar size may be more relevant to size perception than distance cues.     

The effects of familiar size on judgments of size and distance: An interaction of viewing attitude with spatial cues

Two hypotheses about the effects of familiar size on judgments of size and distance, the cue-conflict hypothesis and the viewing-attitude hypothesis, were examined. In Experiment 1, observers estimated the size and distance of familiar targets with apparent or assumptive instructions under three different spatial cue conditions. In Experiment 2, observers performed tasks similar to those of Experiment 1 with no specific instructions. The main results were: (1) Assumptive instructions facilitate the effects of familiar size in both size and distance judgments, but reducing spatial cues does not, and (2) viewing attitude changes from the apparent to the assumptive when available spatial cues are reduced. Thus, it was concluded that the viewing-attitude hypothesis gives a better account of the effects of familiar size, but that the cue-conflict hypothesis cannot be abandoned, because the number of conflicting cues contributes to the formation of viewing attitude.     

Adaptation in distance perception based on oculomotor cues

Accommodation and convergence primarily serve to adjust the eyes to the distance of the object viewed, but, once made, these oculomotor adjustments serve as cues for the object’s distance. Experiments are reported that show that the relation between oculomotor adjustments and the distances they signify can be changed by adaptation to glasses that cause alteration in the oculomotor adjustments with which objects are viewed. This changed relation manifested itself in marked alterations of size perception. Wearing, for 30 min, glasses that caused a change in accommodation and convergence corresponding to a smaller object distance and equivalent to 1.5 lens diopters caused subsequent mean size increases that ranged from 50% to 65%. Adaptation to glasses that changed oculomotor adjustments in the same amount but in the opposite direction resulted in decreases in perceived sizes that varied from 18% to 40%, dependent on the distance of the test object. These were the results of size estimates obtained before and after the adaptation period under conditions where only accommodation and convergence served as cues for distance. A newly developed test of size perception was also used, in which S adjusted the size of the projected image of an array of familiar objects on a screen until the size of the objects appeared normal. Again, such adjustments were made before and after the adaptation period, and size differences were obtained that were in the direction to be expected of adaptation and varied in amount between 12% and 33%, dependent on the distance of the screen. The reason for the different amounts of size change measured by the two kinds of tests was investigated.     

The nature of adaptation in distance perception based on oculomotor cues

In previous work by the senior authors, brief adaptation to glasses that changed the accommodation and convergence with which objects were seen resulted in large alterations in size perception. Here, two further effects of such adaptation are reported: alterations in stereoscopic depth perception and a change when distance is represented by a response of S’s arm. We believe that the three effects are manifestations of one primary effect, an alteration of the relation between accommodation and convergence on the one hand and the distance they represent in the nervous system (registered distance) on the other. This view was supported by the results of two experiments, each of which demonstrated that the alterations in stereoscopic depth perception could be obtained after adaptation periods which had provided no opportunity to use stereoscopic vision, and that the adaptation effect was larger for depth perception than for size perception when it was obtained under the same conditions; the latter finding was expected if both effects resulted from the same change in registered distance. In three of the five experiments here reported, the variety of cues that could represent veridical distance during the adaptation period was limited. In one condition of adaptation, only the pattern of growth of the retinal images of objects that S approached and the kinesthetic cues for S’s locomotion served as cues to veridical distance. In two other conditions S remained immobile. In one of these, only the perspective distortion in the projection of the scene that S viewed mediated veridical distance, and in the other one familiar objects of normal size were successively illuminated in an otherwise totally dark field, conditions from which opportunities to use stereoscopic vision were again absent. After exposure to each of these adaptation conditions, adaptive changes in perceived size and larger ones in perceived stereoscopic depth were obtained. Because we found that familiar size may serve as the sole indicator of veridical distance in an adaptation process, we concluded that it can function as a perceptual as distinguished from an inferential cue to distance.     

Relationship between cue word activation and prospective memory performance

The interaction of cue-word specificity in instructions and cue-word familiarity on prospective performance was examined. Exp. 1 was based on a typical prospective memory paradigm using familiar and unfamiliar cue words. Prospective memory performances under general and specific instruction conditions were compared. In Exp. 2, the relationship found in Exp. 1 was further investigated based on the activation of cue words and prospective memory performance. The experimental results indicated that, when a spontaneous retrieval process was used, unfamiliar cues were more likely to be detected, whereas when only strategic monitoring played a role, familiar cues were more likely to be detected, suggesting that retrieval varied systematically across experimental situations, as predicted by the multiprocess model.     

A short-lived face alert during inhibition of return

In the present study, we explored the role of faces in oculomotor inhibition of return (IOR) using a tightly controlled spatial cuing paradigm. We measured saccadic response latency to targets following peripheral cues that were either faces or objects of lesser sociobiological salience. A recurring influence from cue content was observed across numerous methodological variations. Faces versus other object cues briefly reduced saccade latencies toward subsequently presented targets, independently of attentional allocation and IOR. The results suggest a short-lived priming effect or social facilitation effect from the mere presence of a face. In the present study, we further showed that saccadic responses were unaffected by face versus nonface objects in double-cue presentations. Our findings indicate that peripheral face cues do not influence attentional orienting processes involved in IOR any differently from other objects in a tightly controlled oculomotor IOR paradigm.     

The interaction of oculomotor cues and stimulus size in stereoscopic death constancy.

In the natural world, observers perceive an object to have a relatively fixed size and depth over a wide range of distances. Retinal image size and binocular disparity are to some extent scaled with distance to give observers a measure of size constancy. The angle of convergence of the two eyes and their accommodative states are one source of scaling information, but even at close range this must be supplemented by other cues. We have investigated how angular size and oculomotor state interact in the perception of size and depth at different distances. Computer-generated images of planar and stereoscopically simulated 3-D surfaces covered with an irregular blobby texture were viewed on a computer monitor. The monitor rested on a movable sled running on rails within a darkened tunnel. An observer looking into the tunnel could see nothing but the simulated surface so that oculomotor signals provided the major potential cues to the distance of the image. Observers estimated the height of the surface, their distance from it, or the stereoscopically simulated depth within it over viewing distances which ranged from 45 cm to 130 cm. The angular width of the images lay between 2 deg and 10 deg. Estimates of the magnitude of a constant simulated depth dropped with increasing viewing distance when surfaces were of constant angular size. But with surfaces of constant physical size, estimates were more nearly independent of viewing distance. At any one distance, depths appeared to be greater, the smaller the angular size of the image. With most observers, the influence of angular size on perceived depth grew with increasing viewing distance. These findings suggest that there are two components to scaling. One is independent of angular size and related to viewing distance. The second component is related to angular size, and the weighting accorded to it grows with viewing distance. Control experiments indicate that in the tunnel, oculomotor state provides the principal cue to viewing distance. Thus, the contribution of oculomotor signals to depth scaling is gradually supplanted by other cues as viewing distance grows. Binocular estimates of the heights and distances of planar surfaces of different sizes revealed that angular size and viewing distance interact in a similar way to determine perceived size and perceived distance.     

Further consideration of size illusions in random dot stereograms.

It has been suggested that many geometric illusions are caused by the application of depth or size constancy rules to an image which does not have sufficient cues to establish that the elements lie in a flat plane. Thus, converging lines are taken as depth cues, and the attributed depth provides the basis for adjusting the perceived size of stimulus elements. It this is the case, one should not see a distortion of relative size if the disparity cues provide for strong statification, i.e., localization in depth of the linear perspective cues. This expectation is challenged by demonstrations that show distortions of relative size using random-dot stereograms. In 1971 Julesz provided such examples but did not comment on the implications for theories of depth. Here we redemonstrate these distortion of length and size in autostereograms which contain the Ponzo and Corridor configurations. The illusory distortions can be seen in the cyclopean view even though the linear perspective elements are well stratified. We suggest that the processing of binocular disparity cues, as required for judgments of absolute distance, may involve the dorsal stream of vision, i.e., activity passing into and including the parietal lobe. Pictorial cues, on the other hand, are likely passed through the ventral stream into the temporal lobe. The analysis of depth by this system provides for size constancy and, possibly, the calibration of relative motion.     

基于语言内容的谎言识别

语言内容线索是识别谎言的三种线索之一, 主要分为基于标准的内容分析和真实监控两个模型。语言内容线索模型主要有基于标准的内容分析、真实监控、人际欺骗理论和语言接近度等4种, 这些模型在理论基础、识别标准和识别有效性上各不相同。此外, 年龄、社会技能、幻想倾向、文化差异、事件熟悉度、人际互动和询问策略等因素都会影响语言内容线索的有效性。未来的研究需要从整合模型、发展谎言线索、量化线索等方面进一步完善语言内容线索, 并通过发展主动识别技巧, 结合非语言行为线索以提高语言内容线索识别谎言的正确率。     

Development of ability to perceive and produce pictorial depth cue of overlapping.

The perception of the pictorial depth cue of overlapping was studied in children 3, 5, and 7 yr. old. Both a sequential and a simultaneous picture/object-matching task were used to test sensitivity. All age groups successfully perceived the depth relation information provided by pictorial overlapping. Height on the picture plane, which projectively covaries with overlapping, was not consistently used as a depth cue by any age group. Children's drawings were also analyzed for the presence of distance information. The drawings of the 3- and 5-yr. old children contained no overlapping cues and indicated a general lack of understanding of the third demension behind the picture plane. Seven-yr.-old children showed the beginnings of this understanding through their use of size perspective and height on the picture plane as depth cues. For all ages the production of the overlapping cue lags behind its perception.     

Interrelation of the effects of binocular disparity and perspective cues on judgments of depth and height

The effects of binocular disparity (aniseikonia) and perspective cues operating together on judgments of depth and height were studied, both when these stimulus variables operated in the same direction and when they were in conflict. Both depth cues were effective upon the perception of depth and height. The effects of binocular disparity and perspective cues upon perceived depth were found to be additive. The effects of these depth cues upon perceived height showed some interaction in the sense that, operating together, the effect of the perspective cue was stronger than the separate effect of the perspective cue, both when binocular disparity and perspective cues operated in the same direction and when they were in conflict. This interactive effect increased with increasing strength of the perspective cues. The size-distance invariance hypothesis was confirmed under the present experimental conditions. By a causal analysis of inference, this invariant relation could be explained in the following way: both the perceived depth and the perceived height of the sides of the patterns were directly determined by binocular disparity and perspective cues, but the perceived height was also indirectly determined through change of perceived depth. A direct causal relation between perceived depth and perceived height was found.     

Eye muscle potentiation does not account for adaptation in distance perception based on oculomotor cues

Ebenholtz and Wolfson have demonstrated an aftereffect of sustained ocular convergence, which they ascribed to eye muscle potentiation. They suggested that this effect can explain an aftereffect of wearing glasses that alter oculomotor cues for distance. Wallach and Frey interpreted this aftereffect as resulting from adaptation. The outcome of two experiments designed to test Ebenholtz and Wolfson’s explanation and a review of previous experiments on adaptation in distance perception based on oculomotor cues show that this explanation is untenable.     

Attentional Orienting in Two-dimensional Space

This paper examines how the covert orienting of spatial attention affects motor responses to visual stimuli. Premotor theories, as well as hemi-field inhibition accounts of visual attention predict an increase in response times when a target stimulus appears in the opposite direction to a spatial cue. Some models also suggest that this meridional effect should be increased across oblique meridians. Two types of cue (central and peripheral) were used to orient attention towards locations prior to the onset of visual targets. Simple manual (press button) and saccadic responses were measured. No meridional effects were found with peripheral cues, whereas central cueing produced meridional effects across all meridians. Cueing effects did not vary significantly with two-dimensional axis for either manual or saccadic responses. Increases in response time with cue-target distance were found for both response and cue types. For saccades, distance gradients were shallower moving distally rather than proximally from the cued position. However, simple manual responses did not show this asymmetry. Orienting to central cues also modulated the amplitude of saccades. The results are consistent with an effect of attentional cues in oculomotor centres as well as the existence of actiondependent attentional representations. However, it is proposed that, rather than reflecting oculomotor programming, meridional effects arise from a directional organization within spatio-cognitive representations.     

Domestic dogs (Canis familiaris) use human gestures but not nonhuman tokens to find hidden food

The authors examined the ability of domestic dogs to use human body cues (gestures) and equivalent-sized nonhuman cues to find hidden food in an object choice paradigm. In Experiment 1 the authors addressed the importance of the human element of the cue, and the effects of size, topography, and familiarity on dogs' success in using cues. Experiment 2 further explored the role of the human as cue-giver, and the impact of a change in the experimenter's attentional state during cue presentation. This included a systematic test of the role inanimate tokens play as cues apart from human placement. Our results indicate that dogs are more sensitive to human cues than equivalent nonhuman cues, and that the size of the cue is a critical element in determining dogs' success in following it.     

Partial reinforcement and context switch effects in human predictive learning

Human participants were trained in a trial-by-trial contingency judgements task in which they had to predict the probability of an outcome (diarrhoea) following different cues (food names) in different contexts (restaurants). Cue P was paired with the outcome on half of the trials (partial reinforcement), while cue C was paired with the outcome on all the trials (continuous reinforcement), both cues in Context A. Test was conducted in both Context A and a different but equally familiar context (B). Context change decreased judgements to C, but not to P (Experiment 1). This effect was found only in the cue trained in the context where a different cue was partially reinforced (Experiment 2). Context switch effects disappeared when different cues received partial reinforcement in both contexts of training (Experiment 3). The implications of these results for an explanation of context switch effects in terms of ambiguity in the meaning of the cues prompting attention to the context (e.g., Bouton, 1997) are discussed.     

Does binocular disparity or familiar size information override effects of relative size on judgements of time to contact?

Previous studies indicate that non-tau sources of depth information, such as pictorial depth cues, can influence judgements of time to contact (TTC). The effect of relative size on such judgements, the size-arrival effect, is particularly robust. However, earlier studies of the size-arrival effect did not include binocular disparity or familiar size information. The effects of these cues on relative TTC judgements were measured. Results suggested that disparity can eliminate the size-arrival effect but that the amount of disparity needed to do so is greater than typical stereoacuity thresholds. In contrast, familiar size eliminated the size-arrival effect even when disparity information was not available. Furthermore, disparity contributed more to performance when familiar size was present than when it was absent. Consistent with previous studies, TTC judgements were influenced by multiple sources of information. The present results suggested further that familiar size is one such source of information and that familiar size moderates the influence of binocular disparity information.     

Use of base rates and case cue information in making likelihood estimates

In five experiments, we investigated college students' use of base rate and case cue information in estimating likelihood. The participants reported that case cues were more important than base rates, except when the case cues were totally uninformative, and made more use of base rate information when the base rates were varied within subjects, rather than between subjects. Estimates were more Bayesian when base rate and case cue information was congruent, rather than contradictory. The nature of the "witness" in case cue information (animate or inanimate) did not affect the use of base rate and case cue information. Multiple trials with feedback led to more accurate estimates; however, this effect was not lasting. The results suggest that when base rate information is made salient by experience (multiple trials and within-subjects variation) or by other manipulations, base rate neglect is minimized.     

Partial reinforcement and context switch effects in human predictive learning

Human participants were trained in a trial-by-trial contingency judgements task in which they had to predict the probability of an outcome (diarrhoea) following different cues (food names) in different contexts (restaurants). Cue P was paired with the outcome on half of the trials (partial reinforcement), while cue C was paired with the outcome on all the trials (continuous reinforcement), both cues in Context A. Test was conducted in both Context A and a different but equally familiar context (B). Context change decreased judgements to C, but not to P (Experiment 1). This effect was found only in the cue trained in the context where a different cue was partially reinforced (Experiment 2). Context switch effects disappeared when different cues received partial reinforcement in both contexts of training (Experiment 3). The implications of these results for an explanation of context switch effects in terms of ambiguity in the meaning of the cues prompting attention to the context (e.g., Bouton, 1997) are discussed.     

The role of familiarity in episodic memory and metamemory for music

Participants heard music snippets of varying melodic and instrumental familiarity paired with animal-name titles. They then recalled the target when given either the melody or the title as a cue, or they gave name feeling-of-knowing (FOK) ratings. In general, recall for titles was better than it was for melodies, and recall was enhanced with increasing melodic familiarity of both the cues and the targets. Accuracy of FOK ratings, but not magnitude, also increased with increasing familiarity. Although similar ratings were given after melody and title cues, accuracy was better with title cues. Finally, knowledge of the real titles of the familiar music enhanced recall but had, by and large, no effect on the FOK ratings.     

Accessing the particular from the general: The power of distinctiveness in the context of organization

Recall is inversely related to the number of items sharing a cue. The limiting case of unique cue-target relationships supports extremely high levels of recall, particularly when the cue is self-generated. This fact is incongruous with the importance assigned to the construct of organization in memory theory. Further, self-generated unique cue-target relationships tend to be idiosyncratic, implying that the power of unique cues should be limited to cases of self-cued memory. The experiments presented here suggest a role for organization that reconciles the fact of unique cue effectiveness with the importance of organization to memory. Two new findings are reported: Unique cue production enhances target encoding; and general cues can access particular encodings. The data are further tribute to the importance of simultaneous organizational and distinctive processing and recommend a new perspective on the function of organization in memory.