ИСТИНА

Humans are able to represent object locations using different spatial mechanisms: one encoding self-to-object spatial information, named egocentric spatial representations (ESR) and the second encoding object-to-object spatial information - allocentric spatial representations (ASR). We investigated the accuracy of ESR and ASR systems using the CAVE virtual reality technology. Six unique virtual scenes consisting of 7 objects located in different 3D positions were constructed. Thirty six observers were tested. The participant’s task was to remember object’s locations and then to reproduce a memorized scene in a virtual space using one of three imaginary viewer’s positions: 1) the ESR front position (as if the participant would view the scene from the experienced view point), 2) the ASR left position (from the imaginary left point) and 3) the ASR above position (from the imaginary above point). To complete the task the participants chose a virtual object from the object’s library and placed it in a virtual space using a flystik. Coordinates of object’s locations in virtual environment were recorded. The accuracy assessment of spatial representations was based on the evaluation of perceived metrics, topology and depth for each of three imaginary viewer’s positions. Our results revealed that the topological accuracy was much better than the metric and depth accuracy regardless of an imaginary position. The ESR characteristics were more accurate than ASR ones. The developed method may be effective in measuring the features of ESR and ASR mental representations. The study was funded by Russian Scientific Fund project № 15-18-00109.