The Possibility That Attention Distribution Influences Underestimate Of The Movement Distance Of Occluded Moving Object

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to discuss the cause of distance underestimation in distance anticipation task of occluded moving object. We displayed moving stripes at random velocities after the occlusion, and let 10 subjects compare those with the representational velocity of the occluded object. The results supported the accurately preserved representational velocity after the object occlusion. The cause of the distance underestimation appears not the representational velocity slowdown of the occluded moving object. The eye movement during the task was also measured. The answer request substantially slowed the eye moving velocity after the occlusion, compared to the non-answer-request condition. The cause of the distance underestimation is likely the answer request of the anticipated movement distance. The distance anticipation task requires the subjects to answer the anticipated object movement distance using a scale on the stationary board when a visual stimulus is applied. It requires the subjects pay attention to the stationary scale and the virtually moving object simultaneously. This divided attention is the probable cause of the distance underestimation in distance anticipation task of occluded moving object.