Visual Space and Physical Space

1951 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-33
Author(s):  
Henry D. Grossfeld
Keyword(s):  
Physical Space ◽  
Visual Space

scholarly journals Influence of the Instructions on the Performance and Establishment of Memorization Strategies in Space Judgments

2006 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 312-320 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alessandra Ackel Rodrigues ◽  
Susi Lippi Marques
Keyword(s):  
Graduate Students ◽  
Power Function ◽  
Mental Representation ◽  
Spatial Information ◽  
Internal Representation ◽  
Space Perception ◽  
Physical Space ◽  
Visual Space ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
Experimental Configuration

Studies of visual space perception have been assuming that people have an internal representation of the physical space that surrounds them. A variety of psychophysical procedures has been used in an attempt to measure the properties of visual space. The goal of the present study was to evaluate the accuracy of the mental representation and the strategies adopted to acquire and retain visuo-spatial information of a configuration as a function of two types of instructions. Thirty-eight undergraduate and graduate students participated in the study and were distributed in perceptive and mnemonic experimental conditions. The effect of the instructions (intentional and incidental) on the representation of the distances among the objects of the scene was estimated using exponents of power function, based on the reproduction of the distances among the stimuli of the scene. The results revealed that judgments made under intentional instructions were more frequently based on strategies related to the location of the stimuli, whereas judgments originating from incidental instructions were based on strategies related to the name of the stimuli. It was observed that the intentional instruction facilitated a more accurate mental representation of the observed experimental configuration, enhancing participants' performance.

Why is binocular visual space distorted compared to physical space ?

2002 ◽  
Vol 44-46 ◽  
pp. 907-914 ◽  
Author(s):  
Taro Maeda ◽  
Eimei Oyama ◽  
Susumu Tachi
Keyword(s):  
Physical Space ◽  
Visual Space

scholarly journals Space oddity: musical syntax is mapped onto visual space

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Neta B. Maimon ◽  
Dominique Lamy ◽  
Zohar Eitan
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Perception ◽  
Physical Space ◽  
Visual Space ◽  
Lateral Position ◽  
Vertical Position ◽  
Musical Structure ◽  
Spatial Metaphors ◽  
Musical Syntax ◽  
Musical Discourse ◽  
New Type

AbstractIncreasing evidence has uncovered associations between the cognition of abstract schemas and spatial perception. Here we examine such associations for Western musical syntax, tonality. Spatial metaphors are ubiquitous when describing tonality: stable, closural tones are considered to be spatially central and, as gravitational foci, spatially lower. We investigated whether listeners, musicians and nonmusicians, indeed associate tonal relationships with visuospatial dimensions, including spatial height, centrality, laterality, and size, implicitly or explicitly, and whether such mappings are consistent with established metaphors. In the explicit paradigm, participants heard a tonality-establishing prime followed by a probe tone and coupled each probe with a subjectively appropriate location (Exp.1) or size (Exp.4). The implicit paradigm used a version of the Implicit Association Test to examine associations of tonal stability with vertical position (Exp.2), lateral position (Exp3) and size (Exp.5). Tonal stability was indeed associated with perceived physical space: the spatial distances between the locations associated with different scale-degrees significantly correlated with the tonal stability differences between these scale-degrees. However, inconsistently with musical discourse, stable tones were associated with leftward (instead of central) and higher (instead of lower) spatial positions. We speculate that these mappings are influenced by emotion, embodying the “good is up” metaphor, and by the spatial structure of music keyboards. Taken together, the results demonstrate a new type of cross-modal correspondence and a hitherto under-researched connotative function of musical structure. Importantly, the results suggest that the spatial mappings of an abstract domain may be independent of the spatial metaphors used to describe that domain.

scholarly journals On Riemannian Geometries of Visual Space

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacek Turski
Keyword(s):  
Riemannian Geometry ◽  
Physical Space ◽  
Visual Space ◽  
Gaze Direction ◽  
Relative Depth ◽  
Metric Tensor ◽  
The Gaze ◽  
Zero Curvature ◽  
Riemannian Geometries ◽  
Straight Lines

This is a study of the phenomenal geometries constructed in the Riemannian geometry framework from simulated iso-disparity conics in the horizontal visual plane of the binocular system with the asymmetric eyes (AEs). The iso-disparity conic's arcs in the Cyclopean direction are the frontal visual geodesics. For the eyes' resting vergence posture, which depends on parameters of the AE, the iso-disparity conics are frontal straight lines in physical space. For all other fixations, the iso-disparity conics consist of families of the ellipses or hyperbolas depending on both the AE's parameters and the bifoveal fixation. An assumption underlying the relevant architecture of the human visual system is combined with results from simulated iso-disparity straight lines, giving the relative depth as a function of the distance. This establishes the metric tensor in binocular space of fixations for the eyes' resting vergence posture. The resulting geodesics in the gaze direction, give the distance to the horizon and zero curvature. For all other fixations, only the sign of the curvature can be inferred from the global behavior of the simulated iso-disparity conics.

scholarly journals One-Dimensional and Multi-Dimensional Studies of the Exocentric Distance Estimates in Frontoparallel Plane, Virtual Space, and Outdoor Open Field

2006 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 273-284 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Antonio Aznar-Casanova ◽  
Elton H. Matsushima ◽  
Nilton P. Ribeiro-Filho ◽  
José A. Da Silva
Keyword(s):  
Open Field ◽  
Visual Cues ◽  
Physical Space ◽  
Visual Space ◽  
Virtual Space ◽  
Coefficient Of Determination ◽  
Frontoparallel Plane ◽  
Field Range ◽  
Exocentric Distance ◽  
Scaling Analyses

The aim of this study is twofold: on the one hand, to determine how visual space, as assessed by exocentric distance estimates, is related to physical space. On the other hand, to determine the structure of visual space as assessed by exocentric distance estimates. Visual space was measured in three environments: (a) points located in a 2-D frontoparallel plane, covering a range of distances of 20 cm; (b) stakes placed in a 3-D virtual space (range ≈ 330 mm); and (c) stakes in a 3-D outdoors open field (range = 45 m). Observers made matching judgments of distances between all possible pairs of stimuli, obtained from 16 stimuli (in a regular squared 4 × 4 matrix). Two parameters from Stevens' power law informed us about the distortion of visual space: its exponent and its coefficient of determination (R2). The results showed a ranking of the magnitude of the distortions found in each experimental environment, and also provided information about the efficacy of available visual cues of spatial layout. Furthermore, our data are in agreement with previous findings showing systematic perceptual errors, such as the further the stimuli, the larger the distortion of the area subtended by perceived distances between stimuli. Additionally, we measured the magnitude of distortion of visual space relative to physical space by a parameter of multidimensional scaling analyses, the RMSE. From these results, the magnitude of such distortions can be ranked, and the utility or efficacy of the available visual cues informing about the space layout can also be inferred.

scholarly journals Space Oddity: Musical Syntax is Mapped onto Visual Space

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neta Batya Maimon ◽  
Dominique Lamy ◽  
Zohar Eitan
Keyword(s):  
Implicit Association Test ◽  
Physical Space ◽  
Visual Space ◽  
Lateral Position ◽  
Implicit Associations ◽  
Vertical Position ◽  
Musical Structure ◽  
Musical Discourse ◽  
New Type ◽  
The Stability

Abstract Musicians ubiquitously apply spatial metaphors when describing the stability hierarchy established by tonal syntax: stable tones are considered spatially central and, as gravitational foci, spatially lower. We investigated whether listeners, musicians and non-musicians, indeed associate tonal relationships with visuospatial dimensions, including spatial height, centrality, laterality, and size, and whether such mappings are consistent with tonal discourse. We examined explicit and implicit associations. In the explicit paradigm, participants heard a tonality-establishing prime followed by a probe tone and coupled each probe with a subjectively appropriate location on a two-dimensional grid (Exp. 1) or with one of 7 circles differing in size (Exp. 4). The implicit paradigm used a version of the Implicit Association Test to examine associations of tonal stability with vertical position (Exp. 2), lateral position (Exp. 3) and object size (Exp. 5). Tonal stability was indeed as- sociated with perceived physical space: the spatial distances between the locations associated with different scale-degrees significantly correlated with the tonal stability differences between these scale degrees. However, inconsistently with the hypotheses implied by musical discourse, stable tones were associated with leftward and higher spatial positions, relative to unstable tones, rather than with central and lower spatial positions. We speculate that these mappings are influenced by emotion, embodying the “good is up” metaphor, and by the spatial structure of music keyboards. Taken together, results suggest that abstract syntactical relationships may consistently map onto concrete perceptual dimensions across modalities, demonstrating a new type of cross-modal cor- respondence and a hitherto under-researched connotative function of musical structure.

Anatomy and Function of the Primate Entorhinal Cortex

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 411-432 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aaron D. Garcia ◽  
Elizabeth A. Buffalo
Keyword(s):  
Entorhinal Cortex ◽  
Medial Temporal Lobe ◽  
Hippocampal Formation ◽  
Physical Space ◽  
Visual Space ◽  
Critical Element ◽  
Memory Processing ◽  
Major Player ◽  
Hippocampus Proper ◽  
And Function

The entorhinal cortex (EC) is a critical element of the hippocampal formation located within the medial temporal lobe (MTL) in primates. The EC has historically received attention for being the primary mediator of cortical information going into and coming from the hippocampus proper. In this review, we highlight the significance of the EC as a major player in memory processing, along with other associated structures in the primate MTL. The complex, convergent topographies of cortical and subcortical input to the EC, combined with short-range intrinsic connectivity and the selective targeting of EC efferents to the hippocampus, provide evidence for subregional specialization and integration of information beyond what would be expected if this structure were a simple conduit of information for the hippocampus. Lesion studies of the EC provide evidence implicating this region as critical for memory and the flexible use of complex relational associations between experienced events. The physiology of this structure's constituent principal cells mirrors the complexity of its anatomy. EC neurons respond preferentially to aspects of memory-dependent paradigms including object, place, and time. EC neurons also show striking spatial representations as primates explore visual space, similar to those identified in rodents navigating physical space. In this review, we highlight the great strides that have been made toward furthering our understanding of the primate EC, and we identify paths forward for future experiments to provide additional insight into the role of this structure in learning and memory.

scholarly journals Geometric Constraints of Visual Space

i-Perception ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 204166952110552
Author(s):  
Casper J. Erkelens
Keyword(s):  
Free Parameter ◽  
Physical Space ◽  
Visual Space ◽  
Geometric Constraints ◽  
Vanishing Point ◽  
Geometric Features ◽  
Space Model ◽  
3D Space ◽  
Parallel Lines ◽  
Straight Lines

Perspective space has been introduced as a computational model of visual space. The model is based on geometric features of visual space. The model has proven to describe a range of phenomena related to the visual perception of distance and size. Until now, the model lacks a mathematical description that holds for complete 3D space. Starting from a previously derived equation for perceived distance in the viewing direction, the suitability of various functions is analyzed. Functions must fulfill the requirement that straight lines, oriented in whatever direction in physical space, transfer to straight lines in visual space. A second requirement is that parallel lines oriented in depth in physical space, converge to a finite vanishing point in visual space. A rational function for perceived distance, compatible with the perspective-space model of visual space, satisfies the requirements. The function is unique. Analysis of alternative functions shows there is little tolerance for deviations. Conservation of the straightness of lines constrains visual space to having a single geometry. Visual space is described by an analytical function having one free parameter, that is, the distance of the vanishing point.

scholarly journals Saccade direction encoding in the primate entorhinal cortex during visual exploration

2015 ◽  
Vol 112 (51) ◽  
pp. 15743-15748 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathaniel J. Killian ◽  
Steve M. Potter ◽  
Elizabeth A. Buffalo
Keyword(s):  
Entorhinal Cortex ◽  
Physical Space ◽  
Visual Space ◽  
Neural Circuitry ◽  
Visual Exploration ◽  
Head Direction ◽  
Free Viewing ◽  
Signaling Mechanisms ◽  
Complex Scenes ◽  
Saccade Direction

We recently demonstrated that position in visual space is represented by grid cells in the primate entorhinal cortex (EC), suggesting that visual exploration of complex scenes in primates may employ signaling mechanisms similar to those used during exploration of physical space via movement in rodents. Here, we describe a group of saccade direction (SD) cells that encode eye movement information in the monkey EC during free-viewing of complex images. Significant saccade direction encoding was found in 20% of the cells recorded in the posterior EC. SD cells were generally broadly tuned and two largely separate populations of SD cells encoded future and previous saccade direction. Some properties of these cells resemble those of head-direction cells in rodent EC, suggesting that the same neural circuitry may be capable of performing homologous spatial computations under different exploratory contexts.

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