SAGE Journal Articles

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Journal Article 1.1: Amazeen, E. L. (2014). Box shape influences the size-weight illusion during individual and team lifting. Human Factors: The Journal of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, 56, 581-591. doi:10.1177/0018720813497980

Abstract: The effects of box shape--specifically width and height--on the perception of heaviness were evaluated during individual and team lifting.

Journal Article 1.2: DeLucia, P. R. (2013). Effects of size on collision perception and implications for perceptual theory and transportation safety. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 22, 199-204. doi:10.1177/0963721412471679

Abstract: People avoid collisions when they walk or drive, and they create collisions when they hit balls or tackle opponents. To do so, people rely on the perception of depth (perception of objects’ locations) and time-to-collision (perception of when a collision will occur), which are supported by different information sources. Depth cues, such as relative size, provide heuristics for relative depth, whereas optical invariants, such as tau, provide reliable time-to-collision information. One would expect people to rely on invariants rather than depth cues, but the size-arrival effect shows the contrary: People reported that a large far approaching object would hit them sooner than a small near object that would have hit first. This effect of size on collision perception violates theories of time-to-collision perception based solely on the invariant tau and suggests that perception is based on multiple information sources, including heuristics. The size-arrival effect potentially can lead drivers to misjudge when a vehicle would arrive at an intersection and is considered a contributing factor in motorcycle accidents. In this article, the author reviews research on the size-arrival effect and its theoretical and practical implications.

Journal Article 1.3: Dunning, D., & Balcetis, E. (2013). Wishful seeing: How preferences shape visual perception. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 22, 33-37. doi:10.1177/0963721412463693

Abstract: People assume that they perceive the world as it really is. In this article, we review research that questions this assumption and instead suggests that people see what they want to see. We discuss classic and current research demonstrating wishful seeing across two perceptual tasks, showing that people categorize ambiguous visual information and represent their environments in ways that align with their desires. Further, we outline when and how wishful seeing occurs. We suggest directions for future research in light of historical trends and contemporary revisions of the study of wishful seeing.