Viewpoint and Orientation Influence Picture Recognition in the Blind

Abstract

In the first three experiments, subjects felt solid geometrical forms and matched raised-line pictures to the objects. Performance was best in experiment 1 for top views, with shorter response latencies than for side views, front views, or 3-D views with foreshortening. In a second experiment with blind participants, matching accuracy was not significantly affected by prior visual experience, but speed advantages were found for top views, with 3-D views also yielding better matching accuracy than side views. There were no performance advantages for pictures of objects with a constant cross section in the vertical axis. The early-blind participants had lower performance for side and frontal views. The objects were rotated to oblique orientations in experiment 3. Early-blind subjects performed worse than the other subjects given object rotation. Visual experience with pictures of objects at many angles could facilitate identification at oblique orientations. In experiment 5 with blindfolded sighted subjects, tangible pictures were used as targets and as choices. The results yielded superior overall performance for 3-D views (mean, M = 74% correct) and much lower matching accuracy for top views as targets (M = 58% correct). Performance was highest when the target and matching viewpoint were identical, but 3-D views (M = 96% correct) were still far better than top views. The accuracy advantage of the top views also disappeared when more complex objects were tested in experiment 6. Alternative theoretical implications of the results are discussed.

Elevation easier than plan for sighted and early-blind adults in a perspective-taking task

“…Most sighted adults have difficulty determining how to draw tilted squares in perspective by adjusting angles at vertices (Kennedy, 1993), and the early-blind likely have similar issues, even if they are very familiar with cubes at many orientations (Eriksson, 1998;Heller et al, 2006;Heller et al, 2009;Kennedy, 1993;Picard & Lebaz, 2012). This is a topic that deserves considerable investigation.…”

“…The blind participants in these studies used raised-line pictures (Eriksson, 1998;Hatwell & Martinez-Sarrochi, 2003;Picard & Lebaz, 2012). Also, blind and sighted adults recognize foreshortened pictures of objects fitting a single vantage point to the side of an array of objects (Heller et al, 2006;Heller et al, 2009). In making drawings of houses, the order of success was "from above," then "from the side," and then "three-quarter views" (Heller, Kennedy, & Joyner, 1995)-that is, plan, then elevation, and then three-quarter views.…”

A practice report of students from a school for the blind leading groups of younger mainstream students in visiting a museum and making multi-modal artworks.

“…For example, Kennedy (2008), Kennedy and Juricevic (2006), and Heller et al (2006), have all found that people born without sight have the capacity to reproduce concepts such as visual metaphor and perspective without formal education in these concepts. In addition, experimental studies involving the dulling of different senses under laboratory conditions by Driver and Spence (2004) have questioned the notion of the exclusivity of touch as the only perception that can provide effective information, and argue instead that perception is multi-modal, (i.e.…”

The Influence of Viewpoint and Object Detail in Blind People When Matching Pictures to Complex Objects

“…Viewpoint effects in visually impaired people with complex objects The first experiment was designed to determine if visual experience would influence viewpoint effects with relatively complex objects. In earlier research with blindfoldedsighted subjects by Heller et al (2006), there were no advantages for top views of these complex objects in the accuracy of matching tangible pictures to solid objects. It was not known if viewpoint effects would be found in visually impaired participants with these relatively complex objects.…”

“…Experiment 1 was based on experiment 6 in Heller et al (2006), but included samples of visually impaired participants. In experiment 2 the effect of visual experience and the presence of object details on viewpoint effects in haptic pictures was tested.…”