Cognitive load in switching between egocentric and allocentric spatial frames of reference: a pupillometry study
Abstract Every day we combine and switch between body-centered (egocentric) and object-centered (allocentric) spatial representations. Several studies so far have reported a greater difficulty to switch from an allocentric reference frame to an egocentric one than vice-versa. To clarify this effect,...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nature Portfolio
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-11122-7 |
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| Summary: | Abstract Every day we combine and switch between body-centered (egocentric) and object-centered (allocentric) spatial representations. Several studies so far have reported a greater difficulty to switch from an allocentric reference frame to an egocentric one than vice-versa. To clarify this effect, the present work measured the cognitive load underlying switching vs. non-switching processes between reference frames through cognitive pupillometry. Participants performed a custom-designed visuo-spatial memory task, while pupil dilation variations were measured with eye-tracking. After memorizing triads of objects, participants provided judgments of relative distance in non-switching (only-egocentric, only-allocentric) and switching (from-ego-to-allo, from-allo-to-ego) conditions. The results showed a larger pupil dilation in switching judgments from-allocentric-to-egocentric reference frames than from-egocentric-to-allocentric ones. Moreover, pupil evoked-responses were also larger in allocentric- than egocentric-based non-switching conditions. Overall, the results showed that, for both non-switching and switching visuo-spatial processes, starting from an allocentric-based representation elicits a higher cognitive load than starting from an egocentric-based one. Thus, the disproportional effort in visuo-spatial switching processes seems to be determined by the first reference frame adopted that, in turn, contaminates also the following one. |
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| ISSN: | 2045-2322 |