Mental transformations of objects and perspective

Dr. Jeffrey M. Zacks, Washington University in Saint Louis

In this talk I will present a framework for thinking about spatial transformations of mental images. We can distinguish different transformations based on which of several spatial reference frames is updated. For example, in an object-based transformation, the reference frame of an object moves relative to those of the observer and the environment. In a perspective transformation, the observer’s egocentric reference frame moves relative to those of the environment and of salient objects. These two types of spatial reference frame updating appear to have evolved to solve different sorts of problems. I will review behavioral and neuroscience evidence that characterizes the function of these transformations and their role in reasoning about different kinds of objects.

Date: 29.04.2011

Time: 15:30 h

Location: Cartesium, Bremen