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Full-Text Articles in Psychology
The World Is Not Flat: Can People Reorient Using Slope?, Daniele Nardi, Nora S. Newcombe, Thomas F. Shipley
The World Is Not Flat: Can People Reorient Using Slope?, Daniele Nardi, Nora S. Newcombe, Thomas F. Shipley
Faculty Research and Creative Activity
Studies of spatial representation generally focus on flat environments and visual input. However, the world is not flat, and slopes are part of most natural environments. In a series of 4 experiments, we examined whether humans can use a slope as a source of allocentric, directional information for reorientation. A target was hidden in a corner of a square, featureless enclosure tilted at a 5° angle. Finding it required using the vestibular, kinesthetic, and visual cues associated with the slope gradient. In Experiment 1, the overall sample performed above chance, showing that slope is sufficient for reorientation in a real …
Slope-Driven Goal Location Behavior In Pigeons, Daniele Nardi, Kristian P. Nitsch, Verner P. Bingman
Slope-Driven Goal Location Behavior In Pigeons, Daniele Nardi, Kristian P. Nitsch, Verner P. Bingman
Faculty Research and Creative Activity
A basic tenet of principles of associative learning applicable to models of spatial learning is that a cue should be assigned greater weight if it is a better predictor of the goal location. Pigeons were trained to locate a goal in an acute corner of an isosceles trapezoid arena, presented on a slanted floor with 3 (Experiment 1) or 2 (Experiment 2) orientations. The goal could be consistently determined by the geometric shape of the arena; however, its position with respect to the slope gradient varied, such that slope position was not a good predictor of the goal. Pigeons learned …
The Role Of Slope In Human Reorientation, Daniele Nardi, Nora S. Newcombe, Thomas F. Shipley
The Role Of Slope In Human Reorientation, Daniele Nardi, Nora S. Newcombe, Thomas F. Shipley
Faculty Research and Creative Activity
Studies of spatial representation generally focus on flat environments and visual stimuli. However, the world is not flat, and slopes are part of many natural environments. In a series of four experiments, we examined whether humans can use a slope as a source of allocentric, directional information for reorientation. A target was hidden in a corner of a square, featureless enclosure tilted at a 5° angle. Finding it required using the vestibular, kinesthetic and vis-ual cues associated with the slope gradient. Participants succeeded in the task; however, a large sex difference emerged. Men showed a greater ability in using slope …