TY - JOUR

T1 - Cross-sensory correspondences and naïve conceptions of natural phenomena.

AU - Walker, Peter

PY - 2012

Y1 - 2012

N2 - Cross-sensory correspondences automatically intrude on performance in elaborate laboratory tasks (see Spence, 2011, for a review). Outside such tasks, might they be responsible for some popular misconceptions about natural phenomena? Four simple demonstrations reveal how the correspondences between surface lightness and weight, and between surface lightness and auditory pitch, generate misconceptions about the weight and movement of objects and the vocalisations of animals. Specifically, people expect darker objects to be heavier than lighter coloured objects, to free fall more quickly, to roll across a table more slowly, and to make lower-pitched vocalisations when they come to life.

AB - Cross-sensory correspondences automatically intrude on performance in elaborate laboratory tasks (see Spence, 2011, for a review). Outside such tasks, might they be responsible for some popular misconceptions about natural phenomena? Four simple demonstrations reveal how the correspondences between surface lightness and weight, and between surface lightness and auditory pitch, generate misconceptions about the weight and movement of objects and the vocalisations of animals. Specifically, people expect darker objects to be heavier than lighter coloured objects, to free fall more quickly, to roll across a table more slowly, and to make lower-pitched vocalisations when they come to life.

KW - correspondences

KW - cross-sensory

KW - conceptions of natural phenomena

KW - naive science

KW - object motion

KW - surface lightness

KW - pitch of vocalisation

U2 - 10.1068/p7195

DO - 10.1068/p7195

M3 - Journal article

VL - 41

SP - 620

EP - 622

JO - Perception

JF - Perception

SN - 0301-0066

IS - 5

ER -