Layout geometry in the selection of intrinsic frames of reference from multiple viewpoints. 2007

Weimin Mou, and Mintao Zhao, and Timothy P McNamara
State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China. mouw@psych.ac.cn

Four experiments investigated the roles of layout geometry in the selection of intrinsic frames of reference in spatial memory. Participants learned the locations of objects in a room from 2 or 3 viewing perspectives. One view corresponded to the axis of bilateral symmetry of the layout, and the other view(s) was (were) nonorthogonal to the axis of bilateral symmetry. Judgments of relative direction using spatial memory were quicker for imagined headings parallel to the symmetric axis than for those parallel to the other viewing perspectives. This advantage disappeared when the symmetric axis was eliminated. Moreover, there was more consistency across participants in the selection of intrinsic axes when the layout contained an axis of bilateral symmetry than when it did not. These results indicate that the layout geometry affects the selection of intrinsic frames of reference supporting the intrinsic model of spatial memory proposed by W. Mou and T. P. McNamara (2002) and by A. L. Shelton and T. P. McNamara (2001).

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007858 Learning Relatively permanent change in behavior that is the result of past experience or practice. The concept includes the acquisition of knowledge. Phenomenography
D008297 Male Males
D008568 Memory Complex mental function having four distinct phases: (1) memorizing or learning, (2) retention, (3) recall, and (4) recognition. Clinically, it is usually subdivided into immediate, recent, and remote memory.
D005260 Female Females
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D013028 Space Perception The awareness of the spatial properties of objects; includes physical space. Perception, Space,Perceptions, Space,Space Perceptions

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