Dynamics of visual reversals from ambiguous spinning biological-motion and rigid structure-from-motion

Three-dimensional rigid structure-from-motion (SFM) and structure from nonrigid biological point-light motion stimuli are perceptually ambiguous. This study investigated the dynamics of perceived reversals in two cases: a spinning point-light walker (PLW) and a spinning rigid human figure in a walki...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Leo Poom
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SAGE Publishing 2025-05-01
Series:i-Perception
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1177/20416695251342410
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850094995285999616
author Leo Poom
author_facet Leo Poom
author_sort Leo Poom
collection DOAJ
description Three-dimensional rigid structure-from-motion (SFM) and structure from nonrigid biological point-light motion stimuli are perceptually ambiguous. This study investigated the dynamics of perceived reversals in two cases: a spinning point-light walker (PLW) and a spinning rigid human figure in a walking pose (SFM). It specifically focused on two key questions: Could the facing-the-viewer bias (FTV) account for the reversals for spinning PLW? To what extent do motion cues from limb motions or configural cues from the human shape contribute to the perceived reversals? In Experiment 1, participants reported reversals with more than twice the frequency while viewing the upright and inverted PLW than for the rigid structures, but an FTV bias was observed only for the upright walker. The perception of an ambulating living human shape of typically encountered walkers in an upright position thus plays a crucial role in obtaining an FTV bias for these spinning stimuli. In Experiment 2, the human figures walked or rigidly moved along a circular path while facing the motion direction, spinning at the same rate as in Experiment 1. A strong initial FTV bias was then observed, but the reversal rate was substantially reduced compared to reversals when spinning on the same spot. These findings highlight theoretically interesting distinct temporal dynamics of reversals and biases between biological motion and rigid SFM. It is argued that the differences in reversals between conditions have a common cause in the form of past experiences that differ between conditions.
format Article
id doaj-art-2fbc8e8f43ac4b7380c027afc78abfe7
institution DOAJ
issn 2041-6695
language English
publishDate 2025-05-01
publisher SAGE Publishing
record_format Article
series i-Perception
spelling doaj-art-2fbc8e8f43ac4b7380c027afc78abfe72025-08-20T02:41:32ZengSAGE Publishingi-Perception2041-66952025-05-011610.1177/20416695251342410Dynamics of visual reversals from ambiguous spinning biological-motion and rigid structure-from-motionLeo PoomThree-dimensional rigid structure-from-motion (SFM) and structure from nonrigid biological point-light motion stimuli are perceptually ambiguous. This study investigated the dynamics of perceived reversals in two cases: a spinning point-light walker (PLW) and a spinning rigid human figure in a walking pose (SFM). It specifically focused on two key questions: Could the facing-the-viewer bias (FTV) account for the reversals for spinning PLW? To what extent do motion cues from limb motions or configural cues from the human shape contribute to the perceived reversals? In Experiment 1, participants reported reversals with more than twice the frequency while viewing the upright and inverted PLW than for the rigid structures, but an FTV bias was observed only for the upright walker. The perception of an ambulating living human shape of typically encountered walkers in an upright position thus plays a crucial role in obtaining an FTV bias for these spinning stimuli. In Experiment 2, the human figures walked or rigidly moved along a circular path while facing the motion direction, spinning at the same rate as in Experiment 1. A strong initial FTV bias was then observed, but the reversal rate was substantially reduced compared to reversals when spinning on the same spot. These findings highlight theoretically interesting distinct temporal dynamics of reversals and biases between biological motion and rigid SFM. It is argued that the differences in reversals between conditions have a common cause in the form of past experiences that differ between conditions.https://doi.org/10.1177/20416695251342410
spellingShingle Leo Poom
Dynamics of visual reversals from ambiguous spinning biological-motion and rigid structure-from-motion
i-Perception
title Dynamics of visual reversals from ambiguous spinning biological-motion and rigid structure-from-motion
title_full Dynamics of visual reversals from ambiguous spinning biological-motion and rigid structure-from-motion
title_fullStr Dynamics of visual reversals from ambiguous spinning biological-motion and rigid structure-from-motion
title_full_unstemmed Dynamics of visual reversals from ambiguous spinning biological-motion and rigid structure-from-motion
title_short Dynamics of visual reversals from ambiguous spinning biological-motion and rigid structure-from-motion
title_sort dynamics of visual reversals from ambiguous spinning biological motion and rigid structure from motion
url https://doi.org/10.1177/20416695251342410
work_keys_str_mv AT leopoom dynamicsofvisualreversalsfromambiguousspinningbiologicalmotionandrigidstructurefrommotion