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Updated: Jun 28, 2026
08:12
A Psychophysics Paradigm for the Collection and Analysis of Similarity Judgments
Published on: March 1, 2022
Similarity and proximity: when does close in space mean close in mind?
1Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA. casasanto@alum.mit.edu
Memory & Cognition
|October 18, 2008
Summary
Spatial proximity influences how we perceive similarity. Closer items seem more similar in conceptual tasks, but less similar in perceptual tasks, revealing how language metaphors shape our understanding.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Linguistics
- Human-Computer Interaction
Background:
- Common language metaphors link similarity with spatial proximity (e.g., "close" for similar).
- The conceptualization of similarity may be influenced by these linguistic conventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To experimentally investigate the relationship between perceived similarity and spatial proximity.
- To determine if linguistic metaphors about similarity and distance are reflected in cognitive judgments.
Main Methods:
- Three experiments were conducted using word and picture stimuli presented at varying spatial distances.
- Participants rated the similarity of stimuli under different judgment conditions (conceptual vs. perceptual).
Main Results:
- Spatial proximity significantly affected similarity ratings.
- Closer stimuli were rated as more similar during conceptual judgments (abstract entities, object properties).
- Closer stimuli were rated as less similar during perceptual judgments (visual appearance).
Conclusions:
- The influence of spatial proximity on similarity judgments is context-dependent.
- Linguistic metaphors about space and similarity are not always directly mapped onto cognitive processes.
- Perception of similarity integrates perceptual input with stored knowledge and experiential regularities.
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