Back to Research page

Perceiving Spatial Layout

We are investigating Berkeley’s (1709) notion that space is perceived in terms of effort. Our approach is to alter participants’ perceived effort for reaching a target and examine their resulting perception of the space. When judging the slant of a hill, participants who are encumbered, fatigued, or aging see the hill as being steeper than those in control conditions. Similarly, distance judgments increase when participants are encumbered by a heavy backpack, when the terrain becomes steeper, or after undergoing visual-motor recalibration on a treadmill. We are currently using natural and virtual environments to explore the scope of effort in mediating our perception of spatial layout.


Research
Questions		 Is space perceived in terms of effort and intention in natural and virtual environments?
Researchers Tom Banton, Cedar Riener, Jeanine Stefanucci, Jessica Witt
Collaborators Sarah Creem, Frank Durgin
Current
Experiments		 Throwing on hills, effort for throwing, effect of mood on effort, effect of intention and changing intention, perception in a virtual environment, perception in near space
Publications Witt, J.K., & Proffitt, D. R. (in press). Action-specific Influences on Distance Perception: A Role for Motor Simulation. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance.
Read abstract

Stefanucci, J. K., & Proffitt, D. R. (in press). The roles of altitude and fear in the perception of heights. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception & Performance.
Read abstract

Linkenauger, S.A., Witt, J.K., Bakdash, J.Z., Stefanucci, J.K., & Proffitt, D.R. (in press) Asymmetrical Body Perception: A Possible Role for Neural Body Representations. Psychological Science.

Linkenauger, S. A., Witt, J.K., Stefanucci, J.K., Bakdash, J.Z. & Proffitt, D.R. (in press). The effect of Handedness and Reachability on Perceived Distance. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance.
Read abstract

Witt, J.K., Linkenauger, S.A., Bakdash, J.Z., Proffitt, D.R. (2008) Putting to a bigger hole: Golf performance relates to perceived size. Psychonomic Bulletin and Review, 15(3).
Read abstract

Witt, J., Linkenauger, S., Bakdash, J., Augustyn, J., Cook, A., & Proffitt, D. (2008). The long road of pain: chronic pain increases perceived distance. Experimental Brain Research.
Read abstract

Teachman, B. A., Stefanucci, J. K., Clerkin, E. M., Cody, M. W., & Proffitt, D. R. (2008). A new mode of fear expression: Perceptual bias in height fear. Emotion, 8, 296-301.
Read abstract

Stefanucci, J. K., Proffitt, D. R., Clore, G., & Parekh, N. (2008). Skating down a steeper slope: Fear influences the perception of geographical slant. Perception, 37, 321-323.
Read abstract

Schnall, S., Harber, K. D., Stefanucci, J. K., & Proffitt, D. R. (2008). Social support and the perception of geographical slant. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 44, 1246-1255.
Read abstract

Proffitt, D. R. (2008). An Action Specific Approach to Spatial Perception. In R. L. Klatzky, B. MacWhinney & M. Behrmann (Eds.), Embodiment, Ego-Space, and Action. New York: Psychology Press.
Read abstract

Bakdash, J.Z., Linkenauger, S.A., and, Proffitt, D.R. (2008). Comparing decision-making vs. control for learning a virtual environment: Backseat drivers learn where they are going. In Human Factors and Ergonomics Society 2008 Conference Proceedings.
Read abstract

Witt, J.K., & Proffitt, D.R. (2007). Perceived slant: A dissociation between perception and action. Perception, 36, 249-257.
Read abstract

Witt, J. K., Stefanucci, J. K., Riener, C. R., & Proffitt, D. R. (2007). Seeing beyond the target: An effect of environmental context on distance perception. Perception, 36, 1752-1768.
Read abstract

Proffitt, D.R. (2006). Embodied perception and the economy of action. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 1(2), 110-122.
Read abstract

Proffitt, D.R. (2006). Distance perception. Current Directions in Psychological Research, 15, 131-135.
Read abstract

Bakdash, J. Z., Augustyn, J. S., and Proffitt, D. R. (2006). Large displays enhance spatial knowledge of a virtual environment. In ACM Siggraph Symposium on Applied Perception in Graphics and Visualization, 59-62.
Read abstract

Witt, J.K., Proffitt, D.R., & Epstein, W. (2005). Tool use affects perceived distance but only when you intend to use it. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 31, 880-888.
Read abstract

Witt, J.K., & Proffitt, D.R. (2005). See the ball, hit the ball: Apparent ball size is correlated with batting average. Psychological Science, 16(12), 937-938.
Read abstract

Stefanucci, J., Proffitt, D., Banton, T., & Epstein, W. (2005). Distances appear different on hills. Perception & Psychophysics, 67(6), 1052-1060.
Read abstract

Witt, J.K., Proffitt, D.R., & Epstein, W. (2004). Perceiving distance: A role of effort and intent. Perception, 33, 570-590.
Read abstract

Proffitt, D.R., Stefanucci, J., Banton, T., & Epstein, W. (2003). The role of effort in perceiving distance. Psychological Science.
Read abstract

Proffitt, D. R. & Caudek, C. (2002). Depth perception and perception of events. In A. F. Healy and R. W. Proctor (Eds.). Comprehensive handbook of psychology, volume 4: Experimental psychology. NY: Wiley.
Read abstract

Dixon, M. W. & Proffitt, D. R. (2002). Overestimation of heights in virtual reality is influenced more by perceived distal size than by the 2-D versus 3-D dimensionality of the display. Perception, 31, 103-112.
Read abstract

Proffitt, D. R., Creem, S. H. & Zosh, W. (2001). Seeing mountains in mole hills: Geographical slant perception. Psychological Science, 12, 418-423.
Read abstract

Creem,S. H., Wraga, M., & Proffitt, D.R. (2001). Imagining physically impossible self-rotations: Geometry is more important than gravity. Cognition, 81,41-64.
Read abstract

Creem, S. H., & Proffitt, D. R. (2001). Grasping objects by their handles: A necessary interaction between cognition and action. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 27, 218-228.
Read abstract

Creem, S. H., Downs, T. H., Wraga, M., Harrington, G. S., Proffitt, D. R. & Downs, III, J. H. ( 2001). An fMRI study of imagined self-rotation. Journal of Cognitive, Affective, & Behavioral Neuroscience, 1, 239-249.
Read abstract

Carpenter, M. & Proffitt, D. R. (2001). Comparing viewer and array mental rotations in different planes. Memory & Cognition, 29, 441-448.
Read abstract

Wraga, M. & Proffitt, D.R. (2000). Mapping the zone of eye height utility for seated and standing observers. Perception, 29, 1361-1383.
Read abstract

Dixon, M. W, Wraga, M, Proffitt, D. R., Williams, G. C. (2000). Eye height scaling of absolute size in immersive and nonimmersive displays. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception & Performance. 26(2), 582-593.
Read abstract

Bhalla, M., & Proffitt, D.R. (2000). Geographical slant perception: Dissociation and coordination between explicit awareness and visually guided actions. In Y. Rossetti and A. Revonsuo (Eds.), Dissociation but Interaction between Nonconscious and Conscious Processing. Amsterdam: John Benjamins.
Read abstract

Proffitt, D., & Banton, T. (1999). Perceived depth is enhanced with parallax scanning.: Technical report for Vision III Imaging.

Proffitt, D. R. (1999). Perception: Ecological versus Inferential Approaches. In R. J. Sternberg (Ed.). The concept of cognition. Cambridge: MIT Press.

Bhalla, M., & Proffitt, D. R. (1999). Visual-Motor recalibration in geographical slant perception. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception & Performance. 25(4), 1076-1096.
Read abstract

Creem, S.H., & Proffitt, D.R. (1998). Two memories for geographical slant: Separation and interdependence of action and awareness. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 5, 22-36.
Read abstract

 

For more information on the Proffitt Perception Lab, please email the webmaster.
102 Gilmer Hall  Box 400400  Charlottesville, VA 22904
(434) 982-4744  proffitt-lab@virginia.edu
Driving Directions