The formation of reference systems in visual motion perception

Summary In visual perception complex movements are usually split up into components — e.g., in such a way that a moving reference system is applied, to which partial movements can be related. In the following experiment a perceptual vector analysis of this kind was investigated. It was shown that 1) a radial translatory movement (relative component) can be isolated perceptually from a rotatory movement (global component) and that 2) the precision of this decomposition of the complex movement is dependent on the strength at which the rotating reference system is anchored perceptually.The authors wish to thank M. Rauterberg for collecting the experimental data