Abstract
Boundary Extension (BE), the tendency to remember a more wide-angle version of the scene than was actually viewed, has been linked to processes engaged in spatial layout perception. Prior research showed that cluttered natural scenes produce more BE than uncluttered ones. The cluttered scenes included more objects (more visual detail) that took up more space than the uncluttered scenes. However, it was impossible to tell which of these factors, the space that objects take up, the amount of detail present, or both, are important in enhancing BE. In the current study, these factors were teased apart by using computer modeled volumetric scenes. Two versions of 16 scenes were created. A cluster of objects occupied the same area in both versions. The amount of detail (number of objects and texture elements) making up this cluster varied. One version had comparatively little detail (e.g., two sofas and a chair in front of an almost empty entertainment center with lamps on each side). The other version had much more detail occupy the same area of the room (e.g., 7 chairs with several coffee table books, plants, coffee mugs, a telescope, lamps and a now crowded entertainment center). Participants viewed eight less detailed scenes and eight more detailed scenes, in random order, for 5 s each. Scene version was counterbalanced across participants. In the test, the same pictures were shown and participants had to indicate if the pictures were more close-up or more wide-angle than before. More BE was obtained for the less detailed versions. This finding indicates that the effect of clutter is driven by the amount of space the object cluster takes up in the view presented, not by the amount of detail. Large amounts of detail seem to detract from viewers’ extrapolation of scene layout beyond the visible area.
Meeting abstract presented at VSS 2012