Motion speed modulates walking direction discrimination: The role of the feet in biological motion perception  

作　　者：CAI Peng YANG XiaoYing CHEN Lin JIANG Yi 

机构地区：[1]State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China [2]Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China [3]Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China

出　　处：《Chinese Science Bulletin》2011年第19期2025-2030,共6页

基　　金：supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (2011CB711000);the Knowledge Innovation Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences (09CX202020);the National Natural Science Foundation of China (30921064, 31070903 and 90820307)

摘　　要：The human visual system is tuned to the motions of biological entities, which provide potentially vital information for survival. The current study examines the interplay between motion speed and motion direction perception. Following a brief presentation of a point-light walker walking straight ahead or slightly leftward or rightward, observers were asked to quickly judge the walking direction (left or right). Participants showed better direction discrimination when the walker walked at a fast pace compared to a natural or slow pace, and this was not simply due to a difference in motion cycles. Moreover, walking direction sensitivity could be enhanced by increasing the feet motion speed alone, so long as the direction of feet movement was consistent with that of the other body parts. These findings demonstrate that our perception of walking direction is influenced by local motion speed, and highlight the role of the feet in biological motion perception.The human visual system is tuned to the motions of biological entities, which provide potentially vital information for survival. The current study examines the interplay between motion speed and motion direction perception. Following a brief presentation of a point-light walker walking straight ahead or slightly leftward or rightward, observers were asked to quickly judge the walking direction （left or right）. Participants showed better direction discrimination when the walker walked at a fast pace compared to a natural or slow pace, and this was not simply due to a difference in motion cycles. Moreover, walking direction sensitivity could be enhanced by increasing the feet motion speed alone, so long as the direction of feet movement was consistent with that of the other body parts. These findings demonstrate that our perception of walking direction is influenced by local motion speed, and highlight the role of the feet in biological motion perception.

关 键 词：行走方向 运动知觉 速度调节 生物 运动速度 运动方向 视觉系统 相互作用 

分 类 号：G804.23[文化科学—运动人体科学]