The material–weight illusion induced by expectations alone

In the material–weight illusion (MWI), equally weighted objects that appear to be made from different materials are incorrectly perceived as having different weights when they are lifted one after the other. Here, we show that continuous visual experience of the lift is not a prerequisite for this c...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Attention, perception & psychophysics perception & psychophysics, 2011-01, Vol.73 (1), p.36-41
Main Authors: Buckingham, Gavin, Ranger, Nathalie S., Goodale, Melvyn A.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aluminum
Behavioral Science and Psychology
Biological and medical sciences
Cognitive Psychology
Discrimination (Psychology)
Female
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Humans
Kinetics
Lifting
Male
Medical research
Miscellaneous
Optical Illusions
Perception
Polystyrenes
Priming
Proprioception
Psychology
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychology. Psychophysiology
R&D
Research & development
Scientific Concepts
Sensory Deprivation
Set (Psychology)
Stimuli
Undergraduate Students
Vision
Weight Perception
Wood
Young Adult
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Summary:In the material–weight illusion (MWI), equally weighted objects that appear to be made from different materials are incorrectly perceived as having different weights when they are lifted one after the other. Here, we show that continuous visual experience of the lift is not a prerequisite for this compelling misperception of weight; merely priming the lifters’ expectations of heaviness is sufficient for them to experience a robust MWI. Furthermore, these expectations continued to influence the load force used to lift MWI-inducing stimuli trial after trial, supporting the notion that vision plays an important role in the skillful lifting of objects.
ISSN:1943-3921
1943-393X
DOI:10.3758/s13414-010-0007-4