Need for (expected) speed: exploring the indirect influence of trial type consistency on representational momentum

The biases affecting people's perception of dynamic stimuli are typically robust and strong for specific stimulus configurations. For example, representational momentum describes a systematic perceptual bias in the direction of motion for the final location of a moving stimulus. Under clearly d...

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Main Authors: Merz, S, Spence, C, Frings, C
Format: Journal article
Language:English
Published: Springer Nature 2023
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author Merz, S
Spence, C
Frings, C
author_facet Merz, S
Spence, C
Frings, C
author_sort Merz, S
collection OXFORD
description The biases affecting people's perception of dynamic stimuli are typically robust and strong for specific stimulus configurations. For example, representational momentum describes a systematic perceptual bias in the direction of motion for the final location of a moving stimulus. Under clearly defined stimulus configurations (e.g., specific stimulus identity, size, speed), for example, the frequently used "implied motion" trial sequence, for which a target is subsequently presented in a consistent direction and with a consistent speed, a displacement in motion direction is evidenced. The present study explores the potential influence of expectations regarding directional as well as speed consistencies on representational momentum, elicited by including other, inconsistently moving trial types within the same experimental block. A systematic representational momentum effect was observed when only consistent motion trials were presented. In contrast, when inconsistent target motion trials were mixed within the same block of experimental trials, the representational momentum effect decreased, or was even eliminated (Experiments 1 & 2). Detailed analysis indicated that this reflects a global (proportion of consistent and inconsistent motion trials within a particular experimental block), not local (preceding trial influencing actual trial) effect. Yet, additional follow-up studies (Experiments 3 & 4) support the idea that these changes in perceived location are strongly influenced by the overall stimulus speed statistics in the different experimental blocks. These results are discussed and interpreted in light of recent theoretical developments in the literature on motion perception that highlight the importance of expectations about stimulus speed for motion perception.
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spelling oxford-uuid:d7287efa-33d8-4492-ab6a-73d78875d0662023-11-29T16:03:03ZNeed for (expected) speed: exploring the indirect influence of trial type consistency on representational momentumJournal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:d7287efa-33d8-4492-ab6a-73d78875d066EnglishSymplectic ElementsSpringer Nature2023Merz, SSpence, CFrings, CThe biases affecting people's perception of dynamic stimuli are typically robust and strong for specific stimulus configurations. For example, representational momentum describes a systematic perceptual bias in the direction of motion for the final location of a moving stimulus. Under clearly defined stimulus configurations (e.g., specific stimulus identity, size, speed), for example, the frequently used "implied motion" trial sequence, for which a target is subsequently presented in a consistent direction and with a consistent speed, a displacement in motion direction is evidenced. The present study explores the potential influence of expectations regarding directional as well as speed consistencies on representational momentum, elicited by including other, inconsistently moving trial types within the same experimental block. A systematic representational momentum effect was observed when only consistent motion trials were presented. In contrast, when inconsistent target motion trials were mixed within the same block of experimental trials, the representational momentum effect decreased, or was even eliminated (Experiments 1 & 2). Detailed analysis indicated that this reflects a global (proportion of consistent and inconsistent motion trials within a particular experimental block), not local (preceding trial influencing actual trial) effect. Yet, additional follow-up studies (Experiments 3 & 4) support the idea that these changes in perceived location are strongly influenced by the overall stimulus speed statistics in the different experimental blocks. These results are discussed and interpreted in light of recent theoretical developments in the literature on motion perception that highlight the importance of expectations about stimulus speed for motion perception.
spellingShingle Merz, S
Spence, C
Frings, C
Need for (expected) speed: exploring the indirect influence of trial type consistency on representational momentum
title Need for (expected) speed: exploring the indirect influence of trial type consistency on representational momentum
title_full Need for (expected) speed: exploring the indirect influence of trial type consistency on representational momentum
title_fullStr Need for (expected) speed: exploring the indirect influence of trial type consistency on representational momentum
title_full_unstemmed Need for (expected) speed: exploring the indirect influence of trial type consistency on representational momentum
title_short Need for (expected) speed: exploring the indirect influence of trial type consistency on representational momentum
title_sort need for expected speed exploring the indirect influence of trial type consistency on representational momentum
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