Reference frames in allocentric representations are invariant across static and active encoding
An influential model of spatial memory – the so-called reference systems account – proposes that relationships between objects are biased by salient axes (frames of reference) provided by environmental cues, such as the geometry of a room. In this study, we sought to examine the extent to which a sa...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2013-08-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
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| Online Access: | http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fpsyg.2013.00565/full |
| _version_ | 1818980099171549184 |
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| author | Edgar eChan Edgar eChan Oliver eBaumann Mark A Bellgrove Jason B Mattingley Jason B Mattingley |
| author_facet | Edgar eChan Edgar eChan Oliver eBaumann Mark A Bellgrove Jason B Mattingley Jason B Mattingley |
| author_sort | Edgar eChan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | An influential model of spatial memory – the so-called reference systems account – proposes that relationships between objects are biased by salient axes (frames of reference) provided by environmental cues, such as the geometry of a room. In this study, we sought to examine the extent to which a salient environmental feature influences the formation of spatial memories when learning occurs via a single, static viewpoint and via active navigation, where information has to be integrated across multiple viewpoints. In our study, participants learned the spatial layout of an object array that was arranged with respect to a prominent environmental feature within a virtual arena. Location memory was tested using judgements of relative direction. Experiment 1a employed a design similar to previous studies whereby learning of object-location information occurred from a single, static viewpoint. Consistent with previous studies, spatial judgments were significantly more accurate when made from an orientation that was aligned, as opposed to misaligned, with the salient environmental feature. In Experiment 1b, a fresh group of participants learned the same object-location information through active exploration, which required integration of spatial information over time from a ground-level perspective. As in Experiment 1a, object-location information was organized around the salient environmental cue. Taken together, the findings suggest that the learning condition (static vs. active) does not affect the reference system employed to encode object-location information. Spatial reference systems appear to be a ubiquitous property of spatial representations, and might serve to reduce the cognitive demands of spatial processing. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-20T17:10:02Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c9c2e72d658b4e2385404d2f94d49ce6 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-20T17:10:02Z |
| publishDate | 2013-08-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-c9c2e72d658b4e2385404d2f94d49ce62022-12-21T19:32:10ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782013-08-01410.3389/fpsyg.2013.0056558420Reference frames in allocentric representations are invariant across static and active encodingEdgar eChan0Edgar eChan1Oliver eBaumann2Mark A Bellgrove3Jason B Mattingley4Jason B Mattingley5University of QueenslandUniversity of QueenslandUniversity of QueenslandMonash UniversityUniversity of QueenslandUniversity of QueenslandAn influential model of spatial memory – the so-called reference systems account – proposes that relationships between objects are biased by salient axes (frames of reference) provided by environmental cues, such as the geometry of a room. In this study, we sought to examine the extent to which a salient environmental feature influences the formation of spatial memories when learning occurs via a single, static viewpoint and via active navigation, where information has to be integrated across multiple viewpoints. In our study, participants learned the spatial layout of an object array that was arranged with respect to a prominent environmental feature within a virtual arena. Location memory was tested using judgements of relative direction. Experiment 1a employed a design similar to previous studies whereby learning of object-location information occurred from a single, static viewpoint. Consistent with previous studies, spatial judgments were significantly more accurate when made from an orientation that was aligned, as opposed to misaligned, with the salient environmental feature. In Experiment 1b, a fresh group of participants learned the same object-location information through active exploration, which required integration of spatial information over time from a ground-level perspective. As in Experiment 1a, object-location information was organized around the salient environmental cue. Taken together, the findings suggest that the learning condition (static vs. active) does not affect the reference system employed to encode object-location information. Spatial reference systems appear to be a ubiquitous property of spatial representations, and might serve to reduce the cognitive demands of spatial processing.http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fpsyg.2013.00565/fullspatial cognitionnavigationallocentricreference framesobject-location memory |
| spellingShingle | Edgar eChan Edgar eChan Oliver eBaumann Mark A Bellgrove Jason B Mattingley Jason B Mattingley Reference frames in allocentric representations are invariant across static and active encoding Frontiers in Psychology spatial cognition navigation allocentric reference frames object-location memory |
| title | Reference frames in allocentric representations are invariant across static and active encoding |
| title_full | Reference frames in allocentric representations are invariant across static and active encoding |
| title_fullStr | Reference frames in allocentric representations are invariant across static and active encoding |
| title_full_unstemmed | Reference frames in allocentric representations are invariant across static and active encoding |
| title_short | Reference frames in allocentric representations are invariant across static and active encoding |
| title_sort | reference frames in allocentric representations are invariant across static and active encoding |
| topic | spatial cognition navigation allocentric reference frames object-location memory |
| url | http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fpsyg.2013.00565/full |
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