When objects are close to me: Affordances in the peripersonal space

In the present study, we investigated, using language, which motor information is automatically activated by observing 3-D objects (i.e., manipulation vs. function) and whether this information is modulated by the objects’ location in space. Participants were shown 3-D pictures of objects located in...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Psychonomic bulletin & review 2011-04, Vol.18 (2), p.302-308
Main Authors: Costantini, Marcello, Ambrosini, Ettore, Scorolli, Claudia, Borghi, Anna M.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Behavioral Science and Psychology
Biological and medical sciences
Cognitive Psychology
Distance Perception
Female
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Humans
Judgment
Male
Perception
Personal Space
Photic Stimulation
Psychology
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychology. Psychophysiology
Social interaction
Space Perception
Studies
Vision
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Summary:In the present study, we investigated, using language, which motor information is automatically activated by observing 3-D objects (i.e., manipulation vs. function) and whether this information is modulated by the objects’ location in space. Participants were shown 3-D pictures of objects located in peripersonal versus extrapersonal space. Immediately after, they were presented with function, manipulation, or observation verbs (e.g., “to drink,” “to grasp,” “to look at”) and were required to judge whether the verb was compatible with the presented object. We found that participants were slower with observation verbs than with manipulation and function verbs. With both function and manipulation verbs, participants were faster when objects were presented in reachable space. Interestingly, the fastest response times were recorded when participants read function verbs while objects were presented in the accessible space. Results suggest that artifacts are first conceived in terms of affordances linked to manipulation and use, and that affordances are differently activated, depending on context.
ISSN:1069-9384
1531-5320
DOI:10.3758/s13423-011-0054-4