Mental rotation of three-dimensional objects

Science. 1971 Feb 19;171(3972):701-3. doi: 10.1126/science.171.3972.701.

Abstract

The time required to recognize that two perspective drawings portray objects of the same three-dimensional shape is found to be (i) a linearly increasing function of the angular difference in the portrayed orientations of the two objects and (ii) no shorter for differences corresponding simply to a rigid rotation of one of the two-dimensional drawings in its own picture plane than for differences corresponding to a rotation of the three-dimensional object in depth.

MeSH terms

  • Computers
  • Depth Perception*
  • Humans
  • Orientation*
  • Reaction Time