Dynamics and the orientation of kinematic forms in visual event recognition.

The authors investigated event dynamics as a determinant of the perceptual significance of forms of motion. Patch-light displays were recorded for 9 simple events selected to represent rigid-body dynamics, biodynamics, hydrodynamics, and aerodynamics. Observers described events in a free-response task or by circling properties on a list. Cluster analyses performed on descriptor frequencies reflected the dynamics. Observers discriminated hydro- versus aerodynamic events and animate versus inanimate events. The latter result was confirmed by using a forced-choice task. Dynamical models of the events led us to consider energy flows as a determinant of kinematic properties that allowed animacy to be distinguished. Orientation was manipulated in 3 viewing conditions. Descriptions varied with absolute display orientation rather than the relative orientation of display and observer.