Examining paleolithic tools and visual perception

by cenieh

The influence of the shape of Paleolithic tools on visual attention was studied by scientists at the CENIEH.

Less time is spent on exploring the grasping zones if you use longer handaxes. The need to evaluate their capacities for percussion is one of the reasons why the heaviest choppers attract more attention to their functional areas.

The different visual behaviors derived from employing these two technologies suggest differences in the visuospatial process when interacting with these two types of tools. The first place to find out about the properties related to their function is by using a chopper, while more complex utensils such as handaxes tend to prompt more exploration of the handling characteristics, requiring more difficult motor processing.

Even though symmetry is a key property of handaxes and a factor that affects the observation of anything at all, other variables do not seem to influence visual exploration.

Size and shape.

The size and shape of an object affect how it is grasped and how the senses perceive it. To determine how these properties affect visual perception, the researchers studied the shape using geometric morphology analysis, and visual attention was assessed using eye tracking technology, with the help of 43 volunteers.

It is possible to quantify the shape and size of an object from reference points. Eye tracking uses a system which projects the gaze of the participant upon the scene being observed.

The studies were earlier.

The analysis of visual perception and lithic industry is the third paper by the Paleoneurology Group. The volunteer participants in the earlier studies had their visual attention analyzed as they were allowed to observe images of stone tools and explore real tools.

Silva Gago, who was also able to avail of the collaboration of the University of Lincoln, explains that the differences found in the observation pattern between choppers and handaxes were associated to changes in behavior in the initial stages of the body-tool interaction.

More information: María Silva-Gago et al, The Influence of Tool Morphology on Visual Attention During the Interaction with Lower Palaeolithic Stone Tools, Lithic Technology (2022). DOI: 10.1080/01977261.2022.2070335 Citation: Examining paleolithic tools and visual perception (2022, May 6) retrieved 6 May 2022 from https://phys.org/news/2022-05-paleolithic-tools-visual-perception.html This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.