Detection of symmetry as a function of angular orientation

Abstract

Subjects decided as quickly as possible whether dot patterns were or were not symmetrical about a line. Their decision times were shorter when the line was verticle and increased as the angle between the line and the verticle increased. This orientation function was essentially the same whether or not the subjects knew in advance what the orientation of the line would be. When the subjects tilted their heads, the function shifted in the direction of the head tilt, indicating that it was tied more closely to retinal than to gravitational coordinates. These data can be interpreted to mean that people mentally rotate patterns to a vertical orientation before judging their symmetry. This in turn suggests that the "template" for detecting symmetry may itself be embedded symmetrically in the brain.