Abstract
Eleven subjects were timed as they judged whether a small bar perpendicular to one side of a clockhand would point left or right if the hand was pointing upward (i.e., at the “12 o’clock” position). The clockhand was shown in two successive orientations 30° apart, so that it was perceived to jump from one to the other in either a clockwise or a counterclockwise direction. Reaction times were consistent with the interpretation that the subjects “mentally rotated” the clockhand from its perceived orientation back to the upright before making their decisions. The direction of the jump influenced perceived orientation but did not influence either the direction or rate of mental rotation itself.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Cavanagh, J. P., &Anstis, S. M. (1980). Visual psychophysics on the Apple H: Getting started.Behavioral Research Methods & Instrumentation,12, 614–626.
Cooper, L. A., &Shepard, R. N. (1973). Chronometric studies of the rotation of mental images. In W. G. Chase (Ed.),Visual information processing (pp. 75–176). New York: Academic Press.
Corballis, M. C. (1982). Mental rotation: Anatomy of a paradigm. In M. Potegal (Ed.),Spatial abilities: Developmental and physiological foundations (pp. 173–198). New York: Academic Press.
Corballis, M. C. (1986). On imagined revolutions. In D. F. Marks (Ed.),Theories of image formation (pp. 151–168). New York: Brandon House.
Corbalus, M. C. (1988a). Distinguishing clock wise from counterclockwise: Does it require mental rotation?Memory & Cognition,16, 567–578.
Corballis, M. C. (1988b). Recognition of disoriented shapes.Psychological Review,95, 115–123.
Coreallis, M. C., &McLaren, R. (1982). Interaction between perceived and imagined rotation.Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception & Performance,8, 215–224.
Fisavo, J. J. (1987). Dynamic mental representations.Psychological Review,94, 427–438.
Freyd, J. J., &Finke, R. A. (1984). Representational momentum.Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, & Cognition,10, 126–132.
Shepard, R. N. (1984). Ecological constraints on internal representations: Resonant kinematics of perceiving, imagining, thinking, and dreaming.Psychological Review,91, 417–430.
Takano, Y. (1989). Perception of rotated forms: A theory of information types.Cognitive Psychology,21, 1–59.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Corballis, M.C., Blackman, A.R. The effect of apparent movement on mental rotation. Memory & Cognition 18, 551–555 (1990). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03198488
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03198488