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THE PERCEPTION OF RHYTHMICALLY REPEATED LINEAR MOTION IN THE HORIZONTAL PLANE
Author(s) -
WALSH E. G.
Publication year - 1962
Publication title -
british journal of psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.536
H-Index - 92
eISSN - 2044-8295
pISSN - 0007-1269
DOI - 10.1111/j.2044-8295.1962.tb00849.x
Subject(s) - psychology , stimulus (psychology) , sensation , perception , motion sickness , horizontal plane , motion perception , acceleration , motion (physics) , tonic (physiology) , communication , linear acceleration , biological motion , linear motion , audiology , geodesy , cognitive psychology , classical mechanics , physics , neuroscience , medicine , psychiatry , geography
Normal subjects were subjected to linear motion rhythmically repeated at rates in the range 1 to 1/9 cyc./sec. With horizontal oscillations of 1/3 cyc./sec. the sensations of moving came at the turning‐points of the swing. The person felt he was moving most rapidly when he was momentarily stationary. The C.N.S. interprets acceleration as velocity under these circumstances. At times the first sensation of moving in one direction came whilst the person was travelling rapidly in the opposite way. At 1 cyc./sec. the sensations were in time with the movements as they occurred. Threshold data indicate that the peak acceleration adequately describes the stimulus at 1/3 and 1/9 cyc./sec. The findings are discussed in relation to the behaviour of the otolith organs and may have a bearing on possible explanations of motion sickness.