Individual differences in magnitude estimates of inferred, remembered, and perceived geographical distance

Abstract

Three separate groups of observers made magnitude estimates of intercity distance in two sessions separated by an interval of 1 month. The first group of observers estimated intercity distance from memory, using just general knowledge of Brazilian geography (inferred distance). The second group estimated intercity distance from memory after studying a map for a period of 7 min (remembered distance). The third group made the estimates while viewing a map (perceived distance). It was found that (1) although the exponent varied from one individual to another, the psychophysical power law described well the inferred, remembered, and perceived magnitude estimates of intercity distance; (2) the following ordinal relationship occurred between the sizes of the mean exponents: perceived >remembered >inferred; (3) the correlations between observers’ exponents for the first and second sessions for all types of estimate were fairly high and positive; and (4) the individual differences observed in the exponents of the psychophysical power law for magnitude estimates of inferred, remembered, and perceived intercity distance were stable, at least for an interval of 1 month between sessions. © 1987, The Psychonomic Soceity, Inc.. All rights reserved.