Shape, orientation, and apparent rotational motion

Apparent rotational motion was investigated in polygonal shapes ranging in rotational symmetry from random to self-identical under 180 degrees rotation. Observers adjusted the rate of alternation between two computer-displayed orientations of any given polygon to determine the point of breakdown of perceived rigid rotation between those two orientations. For asymmetric polygons, the minimum stimulus-onset asynchrony yielding apparent rigid rotation increased approximately linearly with orientational disparity, as anticipated on the basis of the extension of Korte's third law to rotational motion by Shepard and Judd. For nearly symmetric polygons, however, the critical time increased markedly as the disparities approached 180 degrees, owing to the availability of a shorter, nonrigid rotation in the opposite direction. The results demonstrate the existence of competing mental tendencies to preserve the rigid structure of an object and to traverse a minimum transformational path.