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Perception in Natural Environments

The main theory of perception in our lab is that we perceive the world in terms of the actions we want to perform. Therefore, it is important to study perception in a natural environment that affords actions. When testing perception in a natural environment (usually on a grassy field around campus), the perceiver can perform a variety of actions. This allows us to test the effects of factors such as effort to perform a given action and intention to perform a specific action on perception. Until our recent studies, these internal factors were not thought to play a role in perception. However, our results suggest that perception is a function of the actual distance, the intention to perform an action, and the effort associated with this action.

See Perceiving Spatial Layout for more information on the kinds of studies we run in natural environments.


Research
Questions		 Is space perceived in terms of effort and intention in natural environments?
Researchers Tom Banton, Cedar Riener, Jeanine Stefanucci, Jessica Witt
Collaborators Sarah Creem, Frank Durgin
Publications Riener, C. R., Stefanucci, J. K., Proffitt, D. R., & Clore, G. (2011). An effect of mood on the perception of geographical slant. Cognition & emotion, 25(1), 174-82. doi:10.1080/02699931003738026
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Schnall, S., Zadra, J. R., & Proffitt, D. R. (2010). Direct evidence for the economy of action: Glucose and the perception of geographical slant. Perception, 39(4), 464-482. doi: 10.1068/p6445.
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Stefanucci, J. K., & Proffitt, D. R. (2009). The roles of altitude and fear in the perception of height. Journal of experimental psychology. Human perception and performance, 35(2), 424-38. doi: 10.1037/a0013894.
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Witt, J.K., Linkenauger, S.A., Bakdash, J.Z., Proffitt, D.R. (2008) Putting to a bigger hole: Golf performance relates to perceived size. Psychonomic Bulletin and Review, 15(3).
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Teachman, B. A., Stefanucci, J. K., Clerkin, E. M., Cody, M. W., & Proffitt, D. R. (2008). A new mode of fear expression: Perceptual bias in height fear. Emotion, 8, 296-301.
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Stefanucci, J. K., Proffitt, D. R., Clore, G., & Parekh, N. (2008). Skating down a steeper slope: Fear influences the perception of geographical slant. Perception, 37, 321-323.
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Proffitt, D. R. (2008). An Action Specific Approach to Spatial Perception. In R. L. Klatzky, B. MacWhinney & M. Behrmann (Eds.), Embodiment, Ego-Space, and Action. New York: Psychology Press.
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Witt, J. K., Stefanucci, J. K., Riener, C. R., & Proffitt, D. R. (2007). Seeing beyond the target: An effect of environmental context on distance perception. Perception, 36, 1752-1768.
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Proffitt, D.R. (2006). Embodied perception and the economy of action. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 1(2), 110-122.
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Proffitt, D.R. (2006). Distance perception. Current Directions in Psychological Research, 15, 131-135.
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Proffitt, D.R., Stefanucci, J., Banton, T., & Epstein, W. (2003). The role of effort in perceiving distance. Psychological Science.
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Bhalla, M., & Proffitt, D.R. (2000). Geographical slant perception: Dissociation and coordination between explicit awareness and visually guided actions. In Y. Rossetti and A. Revonsuo (Eds.), Dissociation but Interaction between Nonconscious and Conscious Processing. Amsterdam: John Benjamins.
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Proffitt, D. R. (1999). Perception: Ecological versus Inferential Approaches. In R. J. Sternberg (Ed.). The concept of cognition. Cambridge: MIT Press.
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Bhalla, M., & Proffitt, D. R. (1999). Visual-Motor recalibration in geographical slant perception. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception & Performance. 25(4), 1076-1096.
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Creem, S.H., & Proffitt, D.R. (1998). Two memories for geographical slant: Separation and interdependence of action and awareness. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 5, 22-36.
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Proffitt, D. R., Bhalla, M., Gossweiler, R., & Midgett, J. (1995). Perceiving geographical slant. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 2(4), 409-428.
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For more information on the Proffitt Perception Lab, please email the webmaster.
102 Gilmer Hall  Box 400400  Charlottesville, VA 22904
(434) 982-4744  proffitt-lab@virginia.edu
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