Discrimination of line length by one to two year old children Effects of spatial arrangements of stimuli

NAOBUMI FUJITA

doi:10.4992/psycholres1954.25.29

Discrimination of line length by one to two year old children

Effects of spatial arrangements of stimuli

Author information

Keywords: length of line segments, accuracy of discrimination, spatial arrangements, mental transformations, mental superpositions

JOURNAL FREE ACCESS

1983 Volume 25 Issue 1 Pages 29-38

DOI https://doi.org/10.4992/psycholres1954.25.29

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Published: May 30, 1983 Received: September 10, 1982 Available on J-STAGE: February 24, 2009 Accepted: March 12, 1983 Advance online publication: - Revised: -
Correction information
Date of correction: February 24, 2009 Reason for correction: - Correction: TITLE Details: Wrong : Discrimination of line length by one to two year old children
Right : Discrimination of line length by one to two year old children: Effects of spatial arrangements of stimuli

Date of correction: February 24, 2009 Reason for correction: - Correction: SUBTITLE Details: Wrong : Effects of spatial arrangements of stimuli

Date of correction: February 24, 2009 Reason for correction: - Correction: ABSTRACT Details: Wrong : The accuracy of the discrimination of the length of two parallel line segments by 19 to 33 month old children was investigated. The child's task was to put a rod into the longer groove of the two stimulus boards presented simultaneously in various spatial arrangements. Main results were as follows: The children could learn to discriminate the line length, and the Weber's ratio in the optimal condition was about .18. The accuracy of the discrimination improved with age, and was influenced by the various spatial arrangements of the stimuli. To explain these results, a mental transformation framework was suggested, whereby the discrimination of line length was performed by a mental superposition of line segments. That is, when two parallel line segments were superposed by the parallel translation in the representational space, the translation being analyzed into the vector of the direction along the lines and the vector of the direction perpendicular to them, the accuracy of the discrimination of the length was almost prescribed by the norm of the former vector.
Right : The accuracy of the discrimination of the length of two parallel line segments by 19 to 33 month old children was investigated. The child's task was to put a rod into the longer groove of the two stimulus boards presented simultaneously in various spatial arrangements. Main results were as follows: The children could learn to discriminate the line length, and the Weber's ratio in the optimal condition was about .18. The accuracy of the discrimination improved with age, and was influenced by the various spatial arrangements of the stimuli. To explain these results, a mental transformation framework was suggested, whereby the discrimination of line length was performed by a mental superposition of line segments. That is, when two parallel line segments were superposed by the parallel translation in the representational space, the translation being analyzed into the vector of the direction along the lines and the vector of the direction perpendicular to them, the accuracy of the discrimination of the length was almost prescribedby the norm of the former vector.

Date of correction: February 24, 2009 Reason for correction: - Correction: CITATION Details: Wrong : Bundesen, C., & Larsen, A. 1975 Visual transformation of size. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 1, 214-220.
Cooper, L. A. 1975 Mental transformation of random two-dimensional shapes. Cognitive Psychology, 7, 20-43.
Cooper, L. A. 1976 Demonstration of a mental analog of an external rotation. Perception and Psychophysics, 19, 296-302.
Cooper, L. A., & Shepard, R. N. 1973 Chronometric studies of the rotation of mental images. In W. G. Chase (Ed.), Visual information processing. New York: Academic Press. Pp. 75-176.
Fellows, B. J. 1967 Chance stimulus sequences for discrimination tasks. Psychological Bulletin, 67, 87-92.
Fröbes, S. J. 1923 Lehrbuch der experimentellen Psychologie I. Freiburg: Herder & Co.
Fujita, N. 1980 Effects of spatial arrangements of stimuli on the estimation of line length. Paper presented at the 44th Annual Convention of the Japanese Psychological Association. (In Japanese)
Hartley, A. A. 1977 Mental measurement in the magnitude estimation of length. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Peformance, 3, 622-628.
Hartley, A. A. 1981 Mental measurement of line length: The role of the standard. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 7, 309-317.
Katori, H. 1977 The role of language in perceptual and cognitive processes. The Proceedings of the Department of Humanities, College of General Education, University of Tokyo. Vol. LXIV, Series of Psychology, No. V. (In Japanese)
Larsen, A. & Bundesen, C. 1978 Size scaling in visual pattern recognition. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 4, 1-20.
Obonai, T. 1955 Visual perception: A study of the theory of psychological induction. Tokyo: Nakayama. (In Japanese)
Pylyshyn, Z. 1973 What the mind's eye tells the mind's brain: A critique of mental imagery. Psychological Bulletin, 80, 1-24.
Sekular, R., & Nash, D. 1972 Speed of size scaling in human vision. Psychonomic Science, 27, 93-94.
Shepard, R. N., & Metzler, J. 1971 Mental rotation of three-dimensional objects. Science, 171, 701-703.
Umezu, H. 1935 A study of tactual space: Concerning estimation of the length of lines. In K. Hirose (Ed.), The psychological proceedings in honor of Dr. Masuda. Tokyo: Iwanami. Pp. 126-146. (In Japanese)
Umezu, H. 1938 Concerning length. Japanese Journal of Psychology, 13, 1-28. (In Japanese)

Right : Bundcscn, C., & Larsen, A. 1975 Visual transformation of size. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 1, 214-220.
Cooper, L. A. 1975 Mental transformation of random two-dimensional shapes. Cognitive Psychology, 7, 20-43.
Cooper, L. A. 1976 Demonstration of a mental analog of an external rotation. Perception and Psychophysics, 19, 296-302.
Cooper, L. A., & Shepard, R. N. 1973 Chronometric studies of the rotation of mental images. In W. G. Chase (Ed.), Visual information processing. New York: Academic Press. Pp.75-176.
Fellows, B. J. 1967 Chance stimulus sequences for discrimination tasks. Psychological Bulletin, 67, 87-92.
Fujita, N. 1980 Effects of spatial arrangements of stimuli on the estimation of line length. Paper presented at the 44th Annual Convention of the Japanese Psychological Association.(In Japanese)
Frobes, S. J. 1923 Lehrbuch der experimentellen Psychologie I. Freiburg: Herder & Co.
Hartley, A. A. 1977 Mental measurement in the magnitude estimation of length. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 3, 622-628.
Hartley, A. A. 1981 Mental measurement of line length: The role of the standard. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 7, 309-317.
Katori, H. 1977 The role of language in perceptual and cognitive processes. The Proceedings of the Department of Humanities, College of General Education, University of Tokyo. Vol.LXIV, Series of Psychology, No.V. (In Japanese)
Larsen, A. & Bundesen, C. 1978 Size scaling in visual pattern recognition. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 4, 1-20.
Obonai, T. 1955 Visual perception: A study of the theory of psychological induction. Tokyo: Nakayama. (In Japanese)
Pylyshyn, Z. 1973 What the mind's eye tells the mind's brain: A critique of mental imagery. Psychological Bulletin, 80, 1-24.
Sekular, R., & Nash, D. 1972 Speed of size scaling in human vision. Psychonomic Science, 27, 93-94.
Shepard, R. N., & Metzler, J. 1971 Mental rotation of three-dimensional objects. Science, 171, 701-703.
Umezu, H. 1935 A study of tactual space: Concerning estimation of the length of lines. In K. Hirose (Ed.), The psychological proceedings in honor of Dr. Masuda. Tokyo: Iwanami. Pp.126-146. (In Japanese)
Umezu, H. 1938 Concerning length. Japanese Journal of Psychology, 13, 1-28. (In Japanese)

Date of correction: February 24, 2009 Reason for correction: - Correction: PDF FILE Details: -

Date of correction: February 24, 2009 Reason for correction: - Correction: TITLE Details: Wrong : Discrimination of line length by one to two year old children: Effects of spatial arrangements of stimuli
Right : Discrimination of line length by one to two year old children

Date of correction: February 24, 2009 Reason for correction: - Correction: SUBTITLE Details: Right : Effects of spatial arrangements of stimuli

Date of correction: February 24, 2009 Reason for correction: - Correction: ABSTRACT Details: Wrong : The accuracy of the discrimination of the length of two parallel line segments by 19 to 33 month old children was investigated. The child's task was to put a rod into the longer groove of the two stimulus boards presented simultaneously in various spatial arrangements. Main results were as follows: The children could learn to discriminate the line length, and the Weber's ratio in the optimal condition was about .18. The accuracy of the discrimination improved with age, and was influenced by the various spatial arrangements of the stimuli. To explain these results, a mental transformation framework was suggested, whereby the discrimination of line length was performed by a mental superposition of line segments. That is, when two parallel line segments were superposed by the parallel translation in the representational space, the translation being analyzed into the vector of the direction along the lines and the vector of the direction perpendicular to them, the accuracy of the discrimination of the length was almost prescribedby the norm of the former vector.
Right : The accuracy of the discrimination of the length of two parallel line segments by 19 to 33 month old children was investigated. The child's task was to put a rod into the longer groove of the two stimulus boards presented simultaneously in various spatial arrangements. Main results were as follows: The children could learn to discriminate the line length, and the Weber's ratio in the optimal condition was about. 18. The accuracy of the discrimination improved with age, and was influenced by the various spatial arrangements of the stimuli. To explain these results, a mental transformation framework was suggested, whereby the discrimination of line length was performed by a mental superposition of line segments. That is, when two parallel line segments were superposed by the parallel translation in the representational space, the translation being analyzed into the vector of the direction along the lines and the vector of the direction perpendicular to them, the accuracy of the discrimination of the length was almost prescribed by the norm of the former vector.

Date of correction: February 24, 2009 Reason for correction: - Correction: CITATION Details: Wrong : Bundcscn, C., & Larsen, A. 1975 Visual transformation of size. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 1, 214-220.
Cooper, L. A. 1975 Mental transformation of random two-dimensional shapes. Cognitive Psychology, 7, 20-43.
Cooper, L. A. 1976 Demonstration of a mental analog of an external rotation. Perception and Psychophysics, 19, 296-302.
Cooper, L. A., & Shepard, R. N. 1973 Chronometric studies of the rotation of mental images. In W. G. Chase (Ed.), Visual information processing. New York: Academic Press. Pp.75-176.
Fellows, B. J. 1967 Chance stimulus sequences for discrimination tasks. Psychological Bulletin, 67, 87-92.
Fujita, N. 1980 Effects of spatial arrangements of stimuli on the estimation of line length. Paper presented at the 44th Annual Convention of the Japanese Psychological Association.(In Japanese)
Frobes, S. J. 1923 Lehrbuch der experimentellen Psychologie I. Freiburg: Herder & Co.
Hartley, A. A. 1977 Mental measurement in the magnitude estimation of length. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 3, 622-628.
Hartley, A. A. 1981 Mental measurement of line length: The role of the standard. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 7, 309-317.
Katori, H. 1977 The role of language in perceptual and cognitive processes. The Proceedings of the Department of Humanities, College of General Education, University of Tokyo. Vol.LXIV, Series of Psychology, No.V. (In Japanese)
Larsen, A. & Bundesen, C. 1978 Size scaling in visual pattern recognition. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 4, 1-20.
Obonai, T. 1955 Visual perception: A study of the theory of psychological induction. Tokyo: Nakayama. (In Japanese)
Pylyshyn, Z. 1973 What the mind's eye tells the mind's brain: A critique of mental imagery. Psychological Bulletin, 80, 1-24.
Sekular, R., & Nash, D. 1972 Speed of size scaling in human vision. Psychonomic Science, 27, 93-94.
Shepard, R. N., & Metzler, J. 1971 Mental rotation of three-dimensional objects. Science, 171, 701-703.
Umezu, H. 1935 A study of tactual space: Concerning estimation of the length of lines. In K. Hirose (Ed.), The psychological proceedings in honor of Dr. Masuda. Tokyo: Iwanami. Pp.126-146. (In Japanese)
Umezu, H. 1938 Concerning length. Japanese Journal of Psychology, 13, 1-28. (In Japanese)

Right : Bundesen, C., & Larsen, A. 1975 Visual transformation of size. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 1, 214-220.
Cooper, L. A. 1975 Mental transformation of random two-dimensional shapes. Cognitive Psychology, 7, 20-43.
Cooper, L. A. 1976 Demonstration of a mental analog of an external rotation. Perception and Psychophysics, 19, 296-302.
Cooper, L. A., & Shepard, R. N. 1973 Chronometric studies of the rotation of mental images. In W. G. Chase (Ed.), Visual information processing. New York: Academic Press. Pp.75-176.
Fellows, B. J. 1967 Chance stimulus sequences for discrimination tasks. Psychological Bulletin, 67, 87-92.
Fröbes, S. J. 1923 Lehrbuch der experimentellen Psychologie I. Freiburg: Herder & Co.
Fujita, N. 1980 Effects of spatial arrangements of stimuli on the estimation of line length. Paper presented at the 44th Annual Convention of the Japanese Psychological Association.(In Japanese)
Hartley, A. A. 1977 Mental measurement in the magnitude estimation of length. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 3, 622-628.
Hartley, A. A. 1981 Mental measurement of line length: The role of the standard. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 7, 309-317.
Katori, H. 1977 The role of language in perceptual and cognitive processes. The Proceedings of the Department of Humanities, College of General Education, University of Tokyo. Vol.LXIV, Series of Psychology, No.V.(In Japanese)
Larsen, A. & Bundesen, C. 1978 Size scaling in visual pattern recognition. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 4, 1-20.
Obonai, T. 1955 Visual perception: A study of the theory of psychological induction. Tokyo: Nakayama.(In Japanese)
Pylyshyn, Z. 1973 What the mind's eye tells the mind's brain: A critique of mental imagery. Psychological Bulletin, 80, 1-24.
Sekular, R., & Nash, D. 1972 Speed of size scaling in human vision. Psychonomic Science, 27, 93-94.
Shepard, R. N., & Metzler, J. 1971 Mental rotation of three-dimensional objects. Science, 171, 701-703.
Umezu, H. 1935 A study of tactual space: Concerning estimation of the length of lines. In K. Hirose (Ed.), The psychological proceedings in honor of Dr. Masuda. Tokyo: Iwanami. Pp.126-146.(In Japanese)
Umezu, H. 1938 Concerning length. Japanese Journal of Psychology, 13, 1-28.(In Japanese)

Abstract

The accuracy of the discrimination of the length of two parallel line segments by 19 to 33 month old children was investigated. The child's task was to put a rod into the longer groove of the two stimulus boards presented simultaneously in various spatial arrangements. Main results were as follows: The children could learn to discriminate the line length, and the Weber's ratio in the optimal condition was about. 18. The accuracy of the discrimination improved with age, and was influenced by the various spatial arrangements of the stimuli. To explain these results, a mental transformation framework was suggested, whereby the discrimination of line length was performed by a mental superposition of line segments. That is, when two parallel line segments were superposed by the parallel translation in the representational space, the translation being analyzed into the vector of the direction along the lines and the vector of the direction perpendicular to them, the accuracy of the discrimination of the length was almost prescribed by the norm of the former vector.

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