Skip to main content
Download PDF

The effect of configural orientation on perceived trajectory in apparent motion

Perception & Psychophysics volume 43, pages 465–474 (1988)Cite this article

Abstract

In three experiments, we investigated apparent motion trajectories for stimuli flashed in different locations and at different orientations. It was found that, when stimuli were presented at different orientations, apparent motion trajectories were curved, although these paths were actually circular for only a restricted range of parameters. Curved apparent motion paths were induced by orientation changes in two stimuli that differed in how their orientation was specified. One was a rectangle (orientation-specific contour); the other was a circle (orientation-specific internal patterning). The following variables influenced the extent of apparent curvature seen: (1) the amount of orientation change presented, (2) the orientation of the stimulus symmetry, (3) the salience of configural orientation, and (4) the gender of the observer.

References

  • Cutting, J. E., &Proffiti, D. R. (1982). The minimum principle and the perception of absolute, common, and relative motions.Cognitive Psychology,14, 211–246.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Farrell, J. E. (1983). Visual transformations underlying apparent movement.Perception & Psychophysics,33, 85–92.

    Google Scholar 

  • Foster, D. H. (1975). Visual apparent motion and some preferred paths in the rotation group SO(3).Biological Cybernetics,18, 81–89.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Green, M. (1986). What determines correspondence strength in apparent motion?Vision Research,26, 599–607.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Proffitt, D. R., & Gilden, D. L. (1987).Understanding natural dynamics. Manuscript submitted for publication.

  • Restle, F. (1979). Coding theory and the perception of motion configurations.Psychological Review,86, 1–24.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rock, I. (1973).Orientation and form. New York: Academic Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shepard, R. N. (1984). Ecological constraints on internal representaton: Resonant kinematics of perceiving, imagining, thinking, and dreaming.Psychological Review,91, 417–447.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Shepard, R. N., &Zare, S. L. (1983). Path-guided apparent motion.Science,220, 632–634.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Watson, A. B. (1986). Apparent motion occurs only between similar spatial frequencies.Vision Research,26, 1727–1730.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wertheimer, M. (1912). Experiemntalle Studien uber das Sehen von Bewegung [Experimental studies of motion perception].Zeitschrift für Psychologie,61, 161–265.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Gilmer Hall, University of Virginia, 22903-2477, Charlottesville, VA

    Dennis R. Proffit, David L. Gilden & Susan M. Whelan

  2. NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California

    Mary K. Kaiser

Authors
  1. Dennis R. Proffit
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. David L. Gilden
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Mary K. Kaiser
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Susan M. Whelan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

This research was supported by Air Force Grant AFOSR-87-Q238, NASA Grant NCA2-87, and NICHD Grant HD-16195. The second author was supported by NRSA Postdoctoral Fellowship HD-Q7036 from NICHD. Heiko Hecht, Jeffrey Lande, Ellen McMee, Mary Riser, David Shulman, and Monica Schnicke helped conduct the experiments. Stephen Jacquot programmed the stimulus displays. Portions of this paper were presented at the Western Psychological Association’s 67th annual convention, April 1987.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Proffit, D.R., Gilden, D.L., Kaiser, M.K. et al. The effect of configural orientation on perceived trajectory in apparent motion. Perception & Psychophysics 43, 465–474 (1988). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03207882

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03207882

Keywords

  • Stimulus Onset Asynchrony
  • Apparent Motion
  • Perceptual System
  • Motion Path
  • Circular Path