A vertical line segment intersecting a horizontal one at different crossing points generates line sections. Visual perception of such line sections was investigated here in two experiments. In both experiments participants were most accurate and precise when they had to reproduce symmetrical sections. Interestingly, the different asymmetrical sections of a line were not equivalent in terms of participants' performance: constant errors changed as a function of sections and the error curve was nicely interpolated by the composition of two harmonics of the line length. In consistence with the harmonic fitting of the data, we propose that the perceptual salience of specific asymmetrical sections is a byproduct of the automatic triggering of a line midpoint identification process. Being perceptually tuned to symmetry warps our visual representation of the line, which results in systematic misperceptions. The way of bringing present and past experimental findings into a unitary whole is proposed.

Stucchi, N., Graci, V., Toneatto, C., Scocchia, L. (2010). The perceptual salience of symmetrical and asymmetrical sections of a line. PERCEPTION, 39(8), 1026-1042 [10.1068/p6665].

The perceptual salience of symmetrical and asymmetrical sections of a line

STUCCHI, NATALE ADOLFO
;
TONEATTO, CARLO;SCOCCHIA, LISA
2010

Abstract

A vertical line segment intersecting a horizontal one at different crossing points generates line sections. Visual perception of such line sections was investigated here in two experiments. In both experiments participants were most accurate and precise when they had to reproduce symmetrical sections. Interestingly, the different asymmetrical sections of a line were not equivalent in terms of participants' performance: constant errors changed as a function of sections and the error curve was nicely interpolated by the composition of two harmonics of the line length. In consistence with the harmonic fitting of the data, we propose that the perceptual salience of specific asymmetrical sections is a byproduct of the automatic triggering of a line midpoint identification process. Being perceptually tuned to symmetry warps our visual representation of the line, which results in systematic misperceptions. The way of bringing present and past experimental findings into a unitary whole is proposed.
Articolo in rivista - Articolo scientifico
asymmetrical sections; line length; line midpoint identification; line sections; perceptual salience; symmetrical sections; visual perception;
English
2010
39
8
1026
1042
none
Stucchi, N., Graci, V., Toneatto, C., Scocchia, L. (2010). The perceptual salience of symmetrical and asymmetrical sections of a line. PERCEPTION, 39(8), 1026-1042 [10.1068/p6665].
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/10281/18019
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