Geometric Cues, Reference Frames, and the Equivalence of Experienced-aligned and Novel-Aligned Views in Human Spatial Memory

Document Type

Presentation

Presentation Date

3-2013

Abstract or Description

Spatial memories are organized around reference frames, and environmental shape provides a salient cue to reference frame selection. Yet, the environmental cues responsible for influencing reference frame selection remain unknown. To connect research on reference frame selection with that on orientation via environmental shape, we explored the extent to which geometric cues were incidentally encoded and represented in memory by evaluating their influence on reference frame selection. Using a head-mounted-display, we presented participants with to-be-remembered object arrays. We manipulated whether the experienced viewpoint was aligned or misaligned with global (principal axis of space) or local (wall orientations) geometric cues. During subsequent judgments of relative direction (participants imagined standing at one object, facing a second, and pointed toward a third), we show that performance was best when imagining perspectives aligned with these geometric cues; moreover, global geometric cues were sufficient for reference frame selection, global and local geometric cues were capable of exerting differential influence on reference frame selection, and performance from experienced-imagined perspectives was equivalent to novel-imagined perspectives aligned with geometric cues. Results explicitly connect theory regarding spatial reference frame selection and spatial orientation via environmental shape and indicate that spatial memories are organized around fundamental geometric properties of space.

Sponsorship/Conference/Institution

Comparative Cognition Society’s International Conference on Comparative Cognition (CCS)

Location

Melbourne, FL

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