Master of Arts (MA), Bowling Green State University, 2005, Psychology/Experimental

The human perceptual system demonstrates poorer performance when discriminating between two oblique angles, rather than when horizontal or vertical angles are involved, even if angular distance is constant. Previous research does not provide a clear picture though on the cause of this. Experiments have been conducted with results that suggest a form of Categorical Perception is occurring during angle discrimination, while other experiments have found results that do not suggest a form of Categorical Perception is occurring during angle discrimination. This study was conducted to attempt to bridge the gap between previously conducted experiments. Our findings suggest that the angled stimuli we used result in a Non-Categorical Perception of angle discrimination. However, another study, using more “object like” stimuli will need to be conducted to better understand the perceptual processes occurring during angle discrimination tasks.

Committee: Dale Klopfer (Advisor) Subjects: Psychology, Experimental