Body-based perceptual rescaling revealed through the size-weight illusion.
An embodied approach to the perception of spatial layout contends that the body is used as a 'perceptual ruler' with which individuals scale the perceived environmental layout. In support of this notion, previous research has shown that the perceived size of objects can be influenced by changes in the apparent size of hand. The size-weight illusion is a well known phenomenon, which occurs when people lift two objects of equal weight but differing sizes and perceive that the larger object feels lighter. Therefore, if apparent hand size influences perceived object size, it should also influence the object's perceived weight. In this study, we investigated this possibility by using perceived weight as a measure and found that changes in the apparent size of the hand influence objects' perceived weight.
Department of Human Perception, Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Tübingen, Germany. sally.linkenauger@tuebingen.mpg.de
Sally A
SA
Linkenauger
Betty J
BJ
Mohler
Dennis R
DR
Proffitt
D001244:Association; D001828:Body Image; D049628:Body Size; D001835:Body Weight; D004192:Discrimination, Psychological; D006225:Hand / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D006801:Humans; D007088:Illusions; D009949:Orientation; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual; D010469:Perceptual Distortion; D012683:Sensory Deprivation; D012858:Size Perception; D013028:Space Perception; D013037:Spatial Behavior; D014892:Weight Perception