Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-1-2000
Publication Title
Perception
Abstract
In a series of experiments, we delimited a region within the vertical axis of space in which eye height (EH) information is used maximally to scale object heights, referred to as the "zone of eye height utility" (Wraga, 1999b Journal of Experimental Psychology, Human Perception and Performance 25 518-530). To test the lower limit of the zone, linear perspective (on the floor) was varied via introduction of a false perspective (FP) gradient while all sources of EH information except linear perspective were held constant. For seated (experiment 1a) observers, the FP gradient produced overestimations of height for rectangular objects up to 0.15 EH tall. This value was taken to be just outside the lower limit of the zone. This finding was replicated in a virtual environment, for both seated (experiment 1b) and standing (experiment 2) observers. For the upper limit of the zone, EH information itself was manipulated by lowering observers' center of projection in a virtual scene. Lowering the effective EH of standing (experiment 3) and seated (experiment 4) observers produced corresponding overestimations of height for objects up to about 2.5 EH. This zone of approximately 0.20-2.5 EH suggests that the human visual system weights size information differentially, depending on its efficacy.
Volume
29
Issue
11
First Page
1361
Last Page
1383
DOI
10.1068/p2837
ISSN
03010066
Recommended Citation
Wraga, Maryjane and Proffitt, Dennis R., "Mapping the Zone of Eye-Height Utility for Seated and Standing Observers" (2000). Psychology: Faculty Publications, Smith College, Northampton, MA.
https://scholarworks.smith.edu/psy_facpubs/131
Comments
Archived as published.