ABSTRACT

Previous research has demonstrated repeatedly that the mental rotation of human-like objects can be performed more quickly than the mental rotation of abstract objects (a body analogy effect). According to existing accounts, the body analogy effect is mediated by projections of one’s own body axes onto objects (spatial embodiment), and the mental emulation of the observed body posture (motoric embodiment). To test whether motoric embodiment facilitates the mental rotation of human-like objects, we conducted an experiment using a snake-like object that had its own body axes but would be difficult to emulate. Twenty-four participants performed the mental rotation of snake-shaped cubes with or without a snake face as well as human-shaped cubes with or without a human face. Results showed that the presence of a face increased mental rotation speeds for both human-shaped and snake-shaped cubes, confirming both the human-body and snake analogy effects. More importantly, the snake analogy effect was equal to the human-body analogy effect. These findings contradict the motoric embodiment account and suggest that any object that can be regarded as a unit facilitates holistic mental rotation, which in turn leads to improved performance.

摘要

先前的研究反复证明，类人对象的心理旋转比抽象对象的心理旋转执行得更快（一种身体类比的效果）。根据现有的说法，类比效果是通过将自己的身体轴投影到对象上来实现的（空间体现），以及对所观察到的身体姿势的心理模仿（运动体现）。为了测试运动性实施方式是否有助于类人物体的心理旋转，我们进行了一项实验，使用了一条蛇形的物体，该物体具有自己的体轴，但是很难模仿。24名参与者对有或没有蛇脸的蛇形立方体以及有或没有人脸的人形立方体进行了心理旋转。结果表明，人脸和蛇形立方体的面部都增加了心理旋转速度，从而证实了人与蛇的类比效果。更重要的是，蛇的类比效果等于人体的类比效果。这些发现与运动实施例说明相矛盾，并且表明可以被视为一个单元的任何物体都有助于整体的心理旋转，进而导致性能的改善。