Relation between Judged and Physical Distance in Multicue Conditions as a Function of Instructions and Tasks

Abstract

Using a rod adjustable in distance, 48 Os produced equal depth intervals along a floor of a visual alley (interval reproduction) or bisected a given depth interval into two equal parts (bisection). Also, verbal reports were obtained of a depth interval located at a near and farther distance from O (absolute judgments). Two kinds of instructions, “apparent” and “objective,” were used with different Os with each of the three tasks. There was an over-all tendency (p = .05 on two of three tasks) for apparent instructions to produce less over-constancy or more under-constancy of distance than that produced by objective instructions. This tendency is consistent with a cognitive interpretation of over-constancy of distance. Clear over-constancy was obtained only by the combination of objective instructions and the bisection task. Clear under-constancy was obtained only by the combination of apparent instructions and the method of absolute judgments. The reason for the effect of task on magnitude of distance constancy is not understood.

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