The contribution of visual processes to egocentric spatial discrimnations.

One of the remarkable abilities we have is perception of space around us that is constant and somewhat independent of our point of view. Or put in other words, people don't look tilted after we tilt our head while looking at them, and people don't change their height depending on whether we gaze above or bellow them. I study how the brain uses visual information to achieve this ability.

My research focuses on two egocentric spatial discrimination: the visual perception of elevation, and the visual perception of gravitational vertical. by presenting volunteers with visual illusions that systemtically changes their visual perception, and asking them to indicate their perception in measurable ways, I try to describe how the brain process visual information to allow us to make these discriminations.

My M.A. paper is on the functional overlap in the processes underlying two egocentric discrimination. Currently I am looking at how these discriminations integrate and use visual information across the visual field.

Shavit, A.Y., Li. W. Semanek, D., & Martin, L. (2004) Individual differences in sensitivity to induction -by-line: Covariation between perceived elevation (VPEL) and perceived vertical (VPV) (Abstract). Journal of Vision, 4 (8), 383a, http://journalofvision.org/4/8/383/, doi: 10.1167/4.8.383

Shavit, A.Y. Li, W., & Martin, L. (2005) Spatial induction of change in perceived elevation and verticality by global and local orientations of sets of lines (abstract). Journal of Vision., 5(8) 997a, http://journalof vision.org/5/8/997/, doi:101167/5.8.997.

More info can be found in my webpage: www.adamshavit.org