ABSTRACT

An important first step in developing a theory of calibration in perception is establishing the object of calibration. In an earlier study, we (Withagen & Michaels, 2003) surmised that calibration applies to perceptual laws, which describe the relation between the perceptual variable exploited and the perception. In the present experiments we tested this hypothesis by asking whether there is transfer of calibration between length perception by dynamic touch and sweet spot perception by dynamic touch. Cooper, Carello, and Turvey (1999) demonstrated that these perceptions are independent of each other, suggesting that they are governed by different perceptual laws. Thus, if calibration applies to perceptual laws, no transfer of calibration between length and sweet spot perception is expected.