Abstract
Four experiments examined whether reported looming of cave paintings and petroglyphs was due to representational momentum. Participants viewed a target photograph of a cave painting or petroglyph, and then a probe photograph of the same cave painting or petroglyph was presented. The viewpoint in the probe was closer, the same as, or farther than the viewpoint in the target. Participants judged if the probe viewpoint was (a) the same as or different from the target viewpoint or (b) closer, the same distance as, or farther than the target viewpoint. Experiments 1, 2, 3A, and 3B presented photographs of objects and entities, and Experiments 4A and 4B presented photographs of handprints and stencils. In all experiments, responses were not consistent with representational momentum, but were consistent with boundary extension. It is suggested perception of looming arises with continued inspection and reflects a mismatch between previously perceived (displaced) and currently perceived information.
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