The influence of picture size on recognition and exploratory behaviour in raised-line drawings

We demonstrate the influence of picture size on haptic recognition and exploratory behaviour. The stimuli were raised-line drawings of everyday objects. Participants were instructed to think aloud during haptic exploration of the pictures. We measured the delay between initial correct speculation and final correct response. The results indicate that picture size influences accuracy but not response latency: large drawings are recognised more often but not faster. By analysing video recordings of the experiment we found that two-handed exploration increases when picture size increases and that, on average, 83% of the exploration time involves the use of two hands. The thinking-aloud data showed that the average time difference between the initial correct speculation and final correct response amounted to 23% of the total reaction time. We discuss our results with respect to the design of tactile aids and the ecological validity of single-finger exploration.