ERIC Number: EJ1182873
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2018-Jul
Pages: 8
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0278-7393
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Environmental Scaling Influences the Use of Local but Not Global Geometric Cues during Spatial Reorientation
Sturz, Bradley R.; Bell, Z. Kade; Bodily, Kent D.
Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, v44 n7 p1159-1166 Jul 2018
During spatial reorientation, the use of local geometric cues (e.g., corner angles) and global geometric cues (e.g., principal axis) is differentially influenced by enclosure size. Local geometric cues exert more influence in large enclosures compared to small enclosures, whereas the use of global geometric cues is not influenced by changes in enclosure size. Such effects are suggested to occur because of differences in training enclosures sizes or differences in testing enclosure sizes, but investigations of enclosure-size effects on spatial cue use have been confounded by environmental scaling between training and testing. We trained participants in a trapezoid-shaped enclosure to respond to a corner uniquely specified by both local and global geometric cues and tested participants in a rectangle (isolating the use of global geometric cues) and in a parallelogram (placing local and global geometric cues in conflict). Between groups, participants experienced different training environment sizes but identical testing environment sizes or identical training environment sizes but different testing environment sizes, and this allowed categorization with respect to the direction of environmental scaling. We found that environmental scaling between training and testing size (but not training size differences or testing size differences) influenced the relative use of local geometric cues. The use of global geometric cues was not influenced by enclosure size. Results challenge prior explanations of the influence of enclosure size on relative spatial cue use during spatial reorientation.
Descriptors: Spatial Ability, Comparative Analysis, Testing, Classification, Scaling, Geometry, Cues, Training, Undergraduate Students, Auditory Stimuli, Feedback (Response), Computer Simulation, Rewards, Statistical Analysis, Physical Environment, Teaching Methods, Computer Assisted Testing
American Psychological Association. Journals Department, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002. Tel: 800-374-2721; Tel: 202-336-5510; Fax: 202-336-5502; e-mail: order@apa.org; Web site: http://www.apa.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Georgia
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A

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