title: Dynamic category structure in spatial memory.
abstract: This study examines bias (constant error) in spatial memory in an effort to determine whether this bias is defined by a dynamic egocentric reference frame that moves with the observer or by an environmentally fixed reference frame. Participants learned the locations of six target objects around them in a room, were blindfolded, and then rotated themselves to face particular response headings. From each response heading, participants used a pointer to indicate the remembered azimuthal locations of the objects. Analyses of the angular pointing errors showed a previously observed pattern of bias. More importantly, it appeared that this pattern of bias was defined relative to and moved with the observer--that is, was egocentric and dynamic. These results were interpreted in the framework of a modified category adjustment model as suggesting the existence of dynamic categorical (nonmetric) spatial codes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA. jsargent@artsci.wustl.edu
authors.forename: Jesse
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sargent
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dopkins
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Philbeck
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall; D009949:Orientation; D013028:Space Perception; D055815:Young Adult