Humans can sense large numbers of objects in a box by touch alone

This study investigated how well people can judge large quantities of objects in a container through haptic perception. Stimuli consisted of plastic drinking straws cut to "small" (1.5 cm) or "big" (4.5 cm) pieces contained in plastic food containers. Participants performed both a magnitude estimation of the number of objects and a direct estimation of the proportion of the container perceived to be filled with objects. Overall, participants demonstrated considerable accuracy for both tasks and irrespective of the size of the content. Post-experiment interviews revealed three potential strategies. Participants either focused on the container's contents, the excess space in the container, or the perceived weight of the container (content).PMID:37859336 | DOI:10.1177/03010066231207324

Source: Perception - October 20, 2023 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Ilja Frissen Alexander N Chen Source Type: research