Examining the Temporal Dynamics of the Impact of Mental Rotation on Bistable Motion Perception

Poster Session E - Monday, April 15, 2024, 2:30 – 4:30 pm EDT, Sheraton Hall ABC

Zoe Heidenry¹, Taylor Holton¹, Kezia Chuaqui¹, Shiang-Yun Chuko¹, Leo Tien¹, Xianjue Huang¹, Tengyu Song¹, Alfredo Spagna¹; ¹Columbia University in the City of New York

Introduction: Mental rotation is the process of transposing an imagined item into a different mental position. Here, we examined the temporal dynamics of the effect of mental rotation on perception of visual motion by using a bistable rotating stimulus that can be interpreted as moving in either of two directions (clockwise, counterclockwise). Method: Participants (n=55) were instructed to mentally rotate an item in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction (T1), and then to indicate the perceived direction of motion (clockwise or counterclockwise) of a bistable rotating circle (T2). We varied the time interval between T1 and T2 by inserting a blank screen lasting between 0 to 8 seconds. Data Analysis: We conducted a 2 (T1 instruction: ahead, behind) x 6 (Delay: 0, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8) ANOVA, on the proportion of clockwise T2 responses, and subsetted for when T1 is performed correctly. Results: We replicated our previous results indicating the reduction of the proportion of clockwise T2 responses for T1 counterclockwise rotations (p<0.05). Current analysis is examining the effect of delay on the effect of T1 on T2. Discussion: We predict a decay of the effect of mental rotation on perceived rotation as time delay increases, indexed by the effect of T1 on T2 decreasing as delay time increases. Alternatively, a lack of such decay would suggest effect-specific temporal dynamics of the effect of mental rotation on bistable motion perception, warranting further investigations.

Topic Area: PERCEPTION & ACTION: Vision