distance estimation is influenced by encoding conditions距离估计是受编码条件的影响.pdfVIP

Distance Estimation Is Influenced by Encoding Conditions 1,2 ´ 1 3 3 Anna Oleksiak *, Mirosława Manko , Albert Postma , Ineke J. M. van der Ham , Albert V. van den Berg2, Richard J. A. van Wezel 1,2,4 1 Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands, 2 Functional Neurobiology and Helmholtz Institute, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands, 3 Experimental Psychology and Helmholtz Institute, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands, 4 Biomedical Signals and Systems Group, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands Abstract Background: It is well established that foveating a behaviorally relevant part of the visual field improves localization performance as compared to the situation where the gaze is directed elsewhere. Reduced localization performance in the peripheral encoding conditions has been attributed to an eccentricity-dependent increase in positional uncertainty. It is not known, however, whether and how the foveal and peripheral encoding conditions can influence spatial interval estimation. In this study we compare observers’ estimates of a distance between two co-planar dots in the condition where they foveate the two sample dots and where they fixate a central dot while viewing the sample dots peripherally. Methodology/Principal Findings: Observers were required to reproduce, after a short delay, a distance between two sample dots based on a stationary reference dot and a movable mouse pointer. When both sample dots are foveated, we find that the distance estimation error is small but consistently increases with the dots-separation size. In com