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We report data from a discrimination task in which participants had to decide whether a single-item display was either vertically symmetric or asymmetric. This decision was found to be easier when items with a top bottom polarity were placed in an orientation where the wide end was the base of the stimulus and the narrow end was the top. The difference in reaction times between this orientation and its inversion was about 10 ms. We suggest that top and bottom labels are assigned to stimuli during the detection of bilateral symmetry.

Original publication

DOI

10.1068/p5092

Type

Journal article

Journal

Perception

Publication Date

2004

Volume

33

Pages

615 - 620

Keywords

Discrimination, Psychological, Female, Form Perception, Humans, Male, Orientation, Photic Stimulation, Reaction Time