The effect of vection on the use of optic flow cues

Abstract

When we move objects move past us in a relative pattern of motion referred to as optic flow. Modulations in optic flow can impact both our perception of self-motion (e.g. perceived distance travelled) and our feeling of self-motion, referred to as vection (e.g. speed of self-motion). The perception and feeling of self-motion have so far been studied independently, leaving open whether and how the two relate to each other. In the current study, stationary participants performed a self-motion task in virtual reality where they moved to previously indicated distances using constant velocity optic flow. The perception of self-motion was measured as the ratio between the distance to travel and the distance travelled, where stopping sooner indicates that the optic flow cues were more effective in creating the perception of self-motion. Vection experience was measured via a questionnaire. When participants felt vection, there was a correlation between stopping distance (reflecting the perception of self-motion) and the felt speed of vection (reflecting the feeling of self-motion), i.e. the faster participants felt they were moving the sooner they stopped. These results show that the perception and feeling of self-motion are linked and that treating the two concepts independently can lead to misinterpretations.