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Methods to Explore the Influence of Top-down Visual Processes on Motor Behavior
09:49

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Published on: April 16, 2014

Watch this! Observed tool use affects perceived distance.

Emily K Bloesch1, Christopher C Davoli, Noam Roth

  • 1Department of Psychology, Washington University, Campus Box 1125, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA. ekbloesch@go.wustl.edu

Psychonomic Bulletin & Review
|January 11, 2012
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Observing others interact with objects, even without personal intention, compresses perceived space. This suggests automatic shared representations influence our perception of distance.

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Area of Science:

  • Cognitive Psychology
  • Perception Science
  • Social Cognition

Background:

  • Previous studies indicate that the ability to interact with an object influences its perceived proximity.
  • The current research investigates if merely observing interactions alters spatial perception.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine if observing others interact with objects compresses perceived space for the observer.
  • To explore the role of shared representations in perceptual judgments.

Main Methods:

  • Participants observed an actor using a tool to reach an unreachable target (Experiment 1).
  • Participants observed an actor illuminating a distant target with a laser pointer (Experiment 2).
  • Distance judgments to targets were collected after observation.

Main Results:

  • Observing interaction with a tool led to perceived spatial compression.
  • Observing interaction via laser pointer also resulted in perceived spatial compression.
  • Spatial perception was altered by mere observation of interaction.

Conclusions:

  • Perceived space can be compressed through passive observation of interactions.
  • Shared representations are automatically engaged at the perceptual level between actors and observers.
  • This occurs even without cooperation or the observer's intent to act.