Discrimination of various movement patterns.

Abstract

The ‘‘snapshot’’ hypothesis [D. W. Grantham, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 79, 1939–1949 (1986)] suggests that velocity is simply inferred. Subjects are assumed to be utilizing information regarding both the distance traveled from signal onset to offset and the temporal extent of the interval during which movement occurs. A number of motion patterns were examined in the current series of experiments with particular attention to whether subjects could discriminate between sequences in which both the distances traveled and the duration of the events were identical. As a case in point, subjects were able to discriminate between acceleration and deceleration movement patterns. The implications of these results will be discussed. [Work supported by NSF.]