Abstract
The dimensionality limitation of human spatial representations has been a long-lasting, unsolved issue in psychology, mathematics, and philosophy. The present study examined the possibility of human four-dimensional spatial representations using a spatial judgment task on hyper-volume, a novel property unique to higher dimensional space. Observers studied visual simulations of random wireframe hyper-tetrahedrons (4-simplexes) rotating around the y-z plane and judged their hyper-volume by adjusting the size of a 4-D block. Multiple regression analyses showed a significant correlation between the responses and the actual hyper-volume but not the definition-based, lower-dimensional cues such as the mean 3-D volume, providing empirical evidence of human 4-D spatial representations that can support judgments of certain novel, high-dimensional properties.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 91-113 |
Number of pages | 23 |
Journal | Spatial Cognition and Computation |
Volume | 14 |
Issue number | 2 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Apr 2014 |
Keywords
- dimensionality
- hyper-volume
- imagery
- spatial representation
- virtual reality
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Modeling and Simulation
- Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
- Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition
- Earth-Surface Processes
- Computer Graphics and Computer-Aided Design