Regression to egocentrically determined description of form under conditions of inattention.

Although, ordinarily, upright objects are readily recognized by observers who are tilted, it is hypothesized that this is achieved by a process of correction. The first stage of that process is held to be a description of the object in relation to the biologically more primitive system of retinal coordinates. In order to test this hypothesis, tilted subjects were required to view figures under conditions of inattention (Experiment 1) or divided attention (Experiment 2). Under such conditions description may not proceed beyond that first stage. The results showed that recognition was higher for figures that maintained their orientation with respect to the retina (although they were then tilted in the environment) than for figures that remained upright in the environment (although they were then disoriented with respect to the retina). This outcome is the very opposite of what occurs under conditions of attention.