Abstract
The brain encodes spatial information in at least two distinct ways: egocentric representations encode locations relative to the observer, whereas allocentric representations encode locations relative to the environment. Both inform spatial memory, but the extent to which they influence behaviour varies depending on the task. In two preregistered experiments we used a psychophysical approach to measure the precision of spatial memory while varying ego- and allocentric task demands. Participants attempted to detect the changed location of one of four objects when seen from a new viewpoint. In both experiments (one using a Same/Different task, the other a 2AFC task), psychophysically-determined change detection thresholds showed a monotonic but non-linear increase as the degree of viewpoint change increased. Our findings were consistent with a preregistered model which shows how, governed by distinct ego- and allocentric contributions, the precision of spatial memory changes lawfully as a function of viewpoint shift.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 127-141 |
| Number of pages | 14 |
| Journal | Journal of Cognitive Psychology |
| Volume | 34 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| Early online date | 28 Dec 2020 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 7 Feb 2022 |
Bibliographical note
© 2020 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.This is an author-produced version of the published paper. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher’s self-archiving policy. Further copying may not be permitted; contact the publisher for details.Keywords
- allocentric
- egocentric
- psychophysics
- virtual environment
- change detection
- spatial memory
- viewpoint rotation
Datasets
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Experimental Study: Spatial Change Detection- Tabletop 2AFC
Baker, D. H. (Creator), Heywood-Everett, E. (Creator) & Hartley, T. (Creator), OSF, 29 Nov 2018
Dataset