No description available.

The purpose of my dissertation was to examine whether adult romantic attachment and interpersonal threat bias people’s perceptions of physical distance within a social context. Across three separate studies, I assessed the interactive effects of attachment anxiety, attachment avoidance, and threat on perceptions of distance. In the baseline (control) condition, I predicted that people higher in attachment anxiety would perceive greater interpersonal closeness than people lower in attachment anxiety. However, in the threat condition, I predicted that this perceptual difference would disappear or, alternatively, that people higher in attachment anxiety would perceive greater interpersonal distance than people lower in attachment anxiety. Furthermore, I hypothesized that higher levels of attachment avoidance would be associated with greater perceptions of physical distance regardless of condition. In Study One, I used a loneliness prime and measured attachment orientation to examine their influence on the strength of the tendency to perceive an ambiguous, computerized figure as walking toward oneself. In Study Two, I investigated how attachment and the threat of separation affected estimations of physical distance from one’s romantic partner who was standing relatively close by. In the third and final study, I examined the impact of attachment and separation threat on perceptions of physical distance from one’s romantic partner when the partner was absent and imagined to be in another city. A meta-analysis of the experiments revealed that the influence of attachment anxiety on distance perception was not only dependent on condition, but also on attachment avoidance. Specifically, for people high in attachment avoidance in the control condition, higher attachment anxiety was associated with smaller perceptions of distance. In contrast, for people high in attachment avoidance in the threat condition, higher attachment anxiety was associated with greater perceptions of distance. For people low in attachment avoidance in both conditions, attachment anxiety did not predict distance perception. This pattern is partially consistent with, but also more complicated than, my original predictions. Explanations for the findings are discussed as well as future directions for investigation. Additionally, the important implications of this research for real-life interactions and, ultimately, the development and maintenance of attachment orientation are explored. / Thesis (Ph.D, Psychology) -- Queen's University, 2014-04-21 12:36:58.104

Although there has been a great deal of research on binocular distance perception (Foley, 1980; Gogel, 1977), a number of questions remain unexplored. One such question involves how our ability to perceive distances is influenced by fitness and stress (internal and external). Previous research has shown that kinesthetic stress (via backpack weight) influences a person’s ability to accurately guess distances (Proffitt, Bhalla, Gossweiler, & Midgett, 2003). This research did not only attempt to replicate previous work, but also extend it by exploring potential interactions between fitness level and mental stress on distance perception, a combination that is often encountered by soldiers, firefighters, and rescue workers. Mental stress was measured using the State Anxiety Inventory test (Spielberger, Reheiser, & Sydeman, 1995) and cardiovascular fitness was measured using MET scores (Jurca et al., 2005). Physical stress was manipulated by asking participants to estimate distances and then walk blindly to the target while carrying a backpack weighing 20% of their weight. We were unable to replicate Proffitt. We did however find a positive correlation between cardiovascular fitness and error in the second block of the blind walking task for the heavy backpack condition, r(22) = -.45, p = 0.03.

No description available.

No description available.

O propósito do presente trabalho foi investigar, a partir de uma configuração espacial de estímulos colineares no campo aberto, a acurácia e estabilidade dos ajustes e estimativas de distância. Para isso foram analisados os aspectos referidos ao emprego de uma tarefa de ajuste de colinearidade e os dados confrontados com o fenômeno perceptual de anisotropia do espaço percebido. Adicionalmente, os resultados foram ajustados a partir de diferentes modelos, avaliando suas implicações para a geometria do espaço visual. Ainda, foram considerados os aspectos cognitivos vinculados a este tipo de tarefa quando empregadas no campo aberto, especialmente, em relação à visualização mental e a correção cognitiva. Participaram do estudo, como voluntários nos diferentes experimentos, 96 observadores, com idade média de 26 anos para mulaquis e 28 anos para os homens. Na coleta de dados experimentais foram utilizados recursos técnicos implícitos - apontamento exocêntrico e, também, recursos diretos -estimativa verbal de distância em campo aberto. Os resultados revelaram que os observadores apresentaram um bom desempenho na tarefa de colinearidade, com erros variando sistematicamente em função da distância egocêntrica do alvo. Os alinhamentos de colinearidade foram similares aos encontrados na literatura e não apresentaram variações quando agregado mais um alvo marcando o centro da configuração espacial de estímulos. Os julgamentos de distância egocêntrica e exocêntrica foram ajustados usando diferentes modelos teóricos (linear, função de potência, Generalizado, Tangle). O melhor ajuste foi obtido pelo Tangle, o modelo não linear de Foley, Ribeiro-Filho e Da Silva (2004) (RMSE=0,29m para distância egocêntrica e 0,31m para distância exocêntrica). Neste modelo ficou evidenciado que a desigualdade do triângulo foi cumprida para ângulos que variavam desde 67 até 101 graus, enquanto a soma dos segmentos das linhas de colinearidade não igualou o valor da distância entre seus pontos extremos. A anisotropia do espaço visual encontrada, nos experimentos, foi coerente com a reportada na literatura, aparecendo como um fenômeno difícil de ser representado geometricamente. As evidências apresentadas nesta tese, apontam à relevância dos processos cognitivos no momento de realizar tarefas espaciais como: o ajuste de colinearidade, a visualização mental ou a estimação de distância, tendo um aumento das correções cognitivas se incrementada a complexidade do ambiente visual. Foram encontradas diferenças nos julgamentos segundo o sexo dos observadores, com variações dependentes das tarefas consideradas. Sumariando, o trabalho experimental apresentado permitiu agregar informações para área temática desta pesquisa, contribuindo com uma análise ampliada sobre procedimentos baseados no ajuste de colinearidade, à aplicação do modelo de Foley, Ribeiro-Filho e Da Silva (2004) em estimativas baseadas neste tipo de tarefas no campo aberto, e sobre os aspectos cognitivos intervenientes. / The purpose of the present work was to investigate, using a spatial configuration of collinear stimuli in the open field, the accuracy and stability of the adjustments and distance estimates. Aspects related with the collinearity task were analyzed and the data confronted with the phenomenon of the anisotropy of perceived space. In addition, the results were fitted using different theoretical models, assessing their implications for the geometry of the visual space. The cognitive aspects related with this kind of task, when used in the open field, were also considered, particularly these referred to mental visualization and cognitive correction. 96 volunteers participated in the different experiments of this study, with a mean age of 26 years old for women and 28 for the men. In the collection of the experimental data, indirect measures were used, in particular a kind of exocentric pointing task, and, also, direct measures, like verbal judgments. The result shows that the observers achieved a good performance in the collinearity task, with errors varying systematically in function of the egocentric distance to the target. The results of the collinearity task were analogous to those found in the literature, and they didnt show significant variations when one more target, indicating the center of the spatial configuration of stimuli, was added on. The egocentric and exocentric distance judgments were adjusted using different theoretical models (lineal, power function, Common model, Tangle). The best fit was obtained by the Tangle, the non-linear model of Foley, Ribeiro-Filho and Da Silva (2004) (with RMSE=0,29m for egocentric distances and 0,31m for exocentric distances). In this model it was evidenced that the inequality of the triangle was accomplished for angles that varied from 67 to 101 degrees, while the sum of the segments of the collinearity lines didnt equal the value of the total distance among their extreme points. The anisotropy of the visual space found in the experiments, was coaquint with the reports in the literature, appearing as a phenomenon difficult of being represented geometrically. The evidences presented in this work point to the relevance of the cognitive processes when performing spatial tasks such as: collinearity adjust, mental visualization, distance estimation, with the cognitive corrections increasing as the complexity of the visual environment grown. They were also found differences in the judgements according to the observers sex, with variations depending on the considered tasks. Summarizing, the present experimental work contributed to this area of research, with an analysis aproximadamente the procedures based on the adjust of collinearity, the application of the theoretical model of Foley, Ribeiro-Filho and Da Silva (2004) in estimatives based on this kind of tasks in the open field, as well on the related cognitive aspects.

O propósito do presente trabalho foi investigar, a partir de uma configuração espacial de estímulos colineares no campo aberto, a acurácia e estabilidade dos ajustes e estimativas de distância. Para isso foram analisados os aspectos referidos ao emprego de uma tarefa de ajuste de colinearidade e os dados confrontados com o fenômeno perceptual de anisotropia do espaço percebido. Adicionalmente, os resultados foram ajustados a partir de diferentes modelos, avaliando suas implicações para a geometria do espaço visual. Ainda, foram considerados os aspectos cognitivos vinculados a este tipo de tarefa quando empregadas no campo aberto, especialmente, em relação à visualização mental e a correção cognitiva. Participaram do estudo, como voluntários nos diferentes experimentos, 96 observadores, com idade média de 26 anos para mulaquis e 28 anos para os homens. Na coleta de dados experimentais foram utilizados recursos técnicos implícitos - apontamento exocêntrico e, também, recursos diretos -estimativa verbal de distância em campo aberto. Os resultados revelaram que os observadores apresentaram um bom desempenho na tarefa de colinearidade, com erros variando sistematicamente em função da distância egocêntrica do alvo. Os alinhamentos de colinearidade foram similares aos encontrados na literatura e não apresentaram variações quando agregado mais um alvo marcando o centro da configuração espacial de estímulos. Os julgamentos de distância egocêntrica e exocêntrica foram ajustados usando diferentes modelos teóricos (linear, função de potência, Generalizado, Tangle). O melhor ajuste foi obtido pelo Tangle, o modelo não linear de Foley, Ribeiro-Filho e Da Silva (2004) (RMSE=0,29m para distância egocêntrica e 0,31m para distância exocêntrica). Neste modelo ficou evidenciado que a desigualdade do triângulo foi cumprida para ângulos que variavam desde 67 até 101 graus, enquanto a soma dos segmentos das linhas de colinearidade não igualou o valor da distância entre seus pontos extremos. A anisotropia do espaço visual encontrada, nos experimentos, foi coerente com a reportada na literatura, aparecendo como um fenômeno difícil de ser representado geometricamente. As evidências apresentadas nesta tese, apontam à relevância dos processos cognitivos no momento de realizar tarefas espaciais como: o ajuste de colinearidade, a visualização mental ou a estimação de distância, tendo um aumento das correções cognitivas se incrementada a complexidade do ambiente visual. Foram encontradas diferenças nos julgamentos segundo o sexo dos observadores, com variações dependentes das tarefas consideradas. Sumariando, o trabalho experimental apresentado permitiu agregar informações para área temática desta pesquisa, contribuindo com uma análise ampliada sobre procedimentos baseados no ajuste de colinearidade, à aplicação do modelo de Foley, Ribeiro-Filho e Da Silva (2004) em estimativas baseadas neste tipo de tarefas no campo aberto, e sobre os aspectos cognitivos intervenientes. / The purpose of the present work was to investigate, using a spatial configuration of collinear stimuli in the open field, the accuracy and stability of the adjustments and distance estimates. Aspects related with the collinearity task were analyzed and the data confronted with the phenomenon of the anisotropy of perceived space. In addition, the results were fitted using different theoretical models, assessing their implications for the geometry of the visual space. The cognitive aspects related with this kind of task, when used in the open field, were also considered, particularly these referred to mental visualization and cognitive correction. 96 volunteers participated in the different experiments of this study, with a mean age of 26 years old for women and 28 for the men. In the collection of the experimental data, indirect measures were used, in particular a kind of exocentric pointing task, and, also, direct measures, like verbal judgments. The result shows that the observers achieved a good performance in the collinearity task, with errors varying systematically in function of the egocentric distance to the target. The results of the collinearity task were analogous to those found in the literature, and they didnt show significant variations when one more target, indicating the center of the spatial configuration of stimuli, was added on. The egocentric and exocentric distance judgments were adjusted using different theoretical models (lineal, power function, Common model, Tangle). The best fit was obtained by the Tangle, the non-linear model of Foley, Ribeiro-Filho and Da Silva (2004) (with RMSE=0,29m for egocentric distances and 0,31m for exocentric distances). In this model it was evidenced that the inequality of the triangle was accomplished for angles that varied from 67 to 101 degrees, while the sum of the segments of the collinearity lines didnt equal the value of the total distance among their extreme points. The anisotropy of the visual space found in the experiments, was coaquint with the reports in the literature, appearing as a phenomenon difficult of being represented geometrically. The evidences presented in this work point to the relevance of the cognitive processes when performing spatial tasks such as: collinearity adjust, mental visualization, distance estimation, with the cognitive corrections increasing as the complexity of the visual environment grown. They were also found differences in the judgements according to the observers sex, with variations depending on the considered tasks. Summarizing, the present experimental work contributed to this area of research, with an analysis aproximadamente the procedures based on the adjust of collinearity, the application of the theoretical model of Foley, Ribeiro-Filho and Da Silva (2004) in estimatives based on this kind of tasks in the open field, as well on the related cognitive aspects.

Augmented reality (AR) is a very promising display technology with many compelling industrial applications. However, before it can be used in actual settings, its fidelity needs to be investigated from a user-centric viewpoint. More specifically, how distance to the virtual objects is perceived in augmented reality is still an open question. To the best of our knowledge, there are only four previous studies that specifically studied distance perception in AR within reaching distances. Therefore, distance perception in augmented reality still remains a largely understudied phenomenon. This document presents research in depth perception in augmented reality in the near visual field. The specific goal of this research is to empirically study various measurement techniques for depth perception, and to study various factors that affect depth perception in augmented reality, specifically, eye accommodation, brightness, and participant age. This document discusses five experiments that have already been conducted. Experiment I aimed to determine if there are inherent difference between the perception of virtual and real objects by comparing depth judgments using two complementary distance judgment protocols: perceptual matching and blind reaching. This experiment found that real objects are perceived more accurately than virtual objects and matching is a relatively more accurate distance measure than reaching. Experiment II compared the two distance judgment protocols in the real world and augmented reality environments, with improved proprioceptive and visual feedback. This experiment found that reaching responses in the AR environment became more accurate with improved feedback. Experiment III studied the effect of different levels of accommodative demand (collimated, consistent, and midpoint) on distance judgments. This experiment found nearly accurate distance responses in the consistent and midpoint conditions, and a linear increase in error in the collimated condition. Experiment IV studied the effect of brightness of the target object on depth judgments. This experiment found that distance responses were shifted towards background for the dim AR target. Lastly, Experiment V studied the effect of participant age on depth judgments and found that older participants judged distance more accurately than younger participants. Taken together, these five experiments will help us understand how depth perception operates in augmented reality.

La perception visuelle de l’espace est largement déterminée par les capacités visuelles des individus. Cependant, la recherche sur l’influence de variables dites non visuelles semble indiquer une importance déterminante des dimensions corporelle et émotionnelle sur la perception visuelle. Dans cette thèse, nous nous sommes intéressés à la perception des distances et avons tenté de comprendre en quoi nos perceptions pouvaient refléter la nature de nos interactions sensorimotrices avec notre environnement. Dans une première étude nous avons montré que des contraintes d’actions, tel que le coût énergétique, générées par les dispositions de l’environnement, pouvaient avoir une influence sur la perception de distances allocentriques. Dans une seconde étude, nous avons tenté de mettre en évidence le rôle du processus d’intégration sensorimotrice dans des tâches d’évaluation de distances, ainsi que de comprendre l’influence des modalités non visuelles, telles que l’audition et la motricité, dans ce même type de tâche. Enfin, dans une troisième étude, nous nous sommes intéressés au concept de fluence – i.e., information métacognitive renseignant le système sur la qualité de ses interactions dans son environnement – et proposons l’idée selon laquelle ce signal contenu dans le flux perceptif permettrait d’expliquer différentes variations perceptives liées aux contraintes de nos actions. Finalement, cette thèse défend une approche unifiée de la perception, selon laquelle la limite entre les concepts d’action et de perception devrait être repensée afin de rendre compte de la nature sensorimotrice de nos connaissances. / Visual perception of space is mainly known as depending upon one’s vision capacity. However, research about the influence of non-visual variables seems to indicate that the body also plays an important role in visual perception. In this Ph.D. thesis, we support the idea that distance perception has to be studied as a function of the sensorimotor interactions between the individuals and their environment. In the first study, we showed that action constraints in the environment such as energetic cost could influence allocentric distance perception. In the second study, we focused on the role of the sensorimotor integration process in distance perception tasks, as well as the influence of non-visual variables such as audition and motor activity. In the third study, we investigated the phenomenology of perception, and more precisely in the relative fluency of motor activity. In other words, we focused here on the metacognitive feedback that emerges from the quality of the interactions with the environment. We highlighted that such a metacognitive signal could explain the influence of action constraints on distance perception. Finally, this work provides strong supports to the idea of an integrative approach of perception according to which the theoretical boundary between perception and action is questioned by the sensorimotor nature of our knowledge.

It has been shown through several research investigations that users tend to underestimate distances in virtual reality (VR). Virtual objects that appear close to users wearing a Head-mounted display (HMD) might be located at a farther distance in reality. This discrepancy between the actual distance and the distance observed by users in VR was found to hinder users from benefiting from the full in-VR immersive experience, and several efforts have been directed toward finding the causes and developing tools that mitigate this phenomenon. One hypothesis that stands out in the field of spatial perception is the rest frame hypothesis (RFH), which states that visual frames of reference (RFs), defined as fixed reference points of view in a virtual environment (VE), contribute to minimizing sensory mismatch. RFs have been shown to promote better eye-gaze stability and focus, reduce VR sickness, and improve visual search, along with other benefits. However, their effect on distance perception in VEs has not been evaluated. To explore and better understand the potential effects that RFs can have on distance perception in VR, we used a blind walking task to explore the effect of three head-centric RFs (a mesh mask, a nose, and a hat) on egocentric distance estimation. We performed a mixed-design study where we compared the effect of each of our chosen RFs across different environmental conditions and target distances in different 3D environments. We found that at near and mid-field distances, certain RFs can improve the user's distance estimation accuracy and reduce distance underestimation. Additionally, we found that participants judged distance more accurately in cluttered environments compared to uncluttered environments. Our findings show that the characteristics of the 3D environment are important in distance estimation-dependent tasks in VR and that the addition of head-centric RFs, a simple avatar augmentation method, can lead to meaningful improvements in distance judgments, user experience, and task performance in VR.