Visual perception of lifted weight

Abstract

The weight of a box can be seen by observing another person lifting and carrying it. Evidence is provided in two experiments, the first of which employed videotaped events with the actor and box visible only as 21 bright patches. Observers judged the weight of the box rather linearly with an average slope of .87 and with a pooled standard deviation of 3.8 kg. The second experiment compared visual and haptic perception of box weight in similar events under conditions of live action. Average slopes of 1.00 in the visual mode and 1.20 in the haptic mode were obtained with standard deviations of 3.1 kg and 2.0 kg, respectively. It is concluded that the weight of the box, as a dynamic variable of the event, is well specified in the kinematic pattern and hence in the optic array. Furthermore, the visual system is efficient in picking up such information.