Abstract
Two experiments were conducted to test the influence of a readiness to make a rotary movement on the perception of rotary motion. In both experiments, Os monocularly viewed a stimulus whose direction of rotation is ambiguous while they were set or prepared to make a crank-turning motor response in a particular direction. Experiment 1 demonstrated that the initially perceived direction of rotation was more stable, i.e., lasted longer, if it was consistent with the direction in which Os were prepared to turn the crank. The effect of a readiness for motor activity on the stability of rotary motion was similar to the previously determined effect of overt motor activity. Experiment 2 demonstrated that the perception of the initial direction of rotation was shaped by a readiness to make a directional motor response.
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Robert Sweeney conducted Experiment 1. Rowland Aertker had primary responsibility for Experiment 2.
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Burnham, C.A., Aertker, D.R. Rotary motion and efferent readiness. Perception & Psychophysics 7, 311–314 (1970). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03210174
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03210174