An experimental comparison of viewpoint-specific and viewpoint-independent models of object representation

Four experiments that investigate the cognitive representation of objects in human observers are reported. Two broad classes of theory were examined: viewpoint-specific and viewpoint-independent models. The former postulate that the data structures underpinning object recognition correspond to discrete views and require additional processing to access them from unfamiliar viewpoints. The latter postulate data structures that are independent of any particular viewpoint and can be directly accessed from a wide range of viewpoints. Two experimental tasks were used: a sequential matching paradigm and a cognitive learning paradigm. Findings favour viewpoint-specific models over viewpoint-independent models.