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Related Concept Videos

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Methods to Explore the Influence of Top-down Visual Processes on Motor Behavior
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Body Orientation Affects the Perceived Size of Objects.

John J-J Kim1, Meaghan E McManus1, Laurence R Harris1

  • 1Centre for Vision Research, 7991York University, Canada.

Perception
|December 16, 2021
PubMed
Summary

Body orientation affects perceived visual size. Participants in virtual reality adjusted target sizes differently when lying down versus standing, suggesting gravity influences spatial perception.

Keywords:
distance perceptiongravityposturesize perception

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Area of Science:

  • * Visual perception and spatial orientation
  • * Human-computer interaction
  • * Gravitational effects on sensory processing

Background:

  • * Understanding how body posture influences visual perception is crucial for fields like virtual reality and ergonomics.
  • * Previous research suggests body orientation can impact spatial judgments, but the precise mechanisms are not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • * To investigate the effect of body orientation (standing, prone, supine) relative to gravity on the perceived size of visual targets in a virtual reality environment.
  • * To quantify the necessary adjustments in visual target size to match a physical reference length under different body orientations.

Main Methods:

  • * Participants used virtual reality to view visual targets at simulated distances (2-10m).
  • * They compared the visual target size to a physical reference length held in hand.
  • * Judgments were made while participants were in standing, prone, and supine positions.

Main Results:

  • * Participants increased the visual target size by 5.4% when supine and 10.1% when prone to match the reference length, compared to standing.
  • * These findings indicate a significant alteration in perceived visual size based on body orientation.

Conclusions:

  • * Body orientation relative to gravity systematically alters the perception of visual target size.
  • * Potential explanations include altered perception of target distance, reference length, or target size itself.
  • * These perceptual shifts may have evolutionary roots, offering survival advantages in vulnerable positions.