Investigating cognitive style differences in the perception of biological motion associated with visuospatial processing

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to compare the visuospatial decision-making error scores related to the perception of biological motion of individuals categorized as field dependent or field independent. A sample of 69 participants aged 18-27 years (M = 21.91, SD = 2.39) that included 33 males and 36 females completed the experiment. Cognitive style was assessed using the Group Embedded Figure Test. Perception of biological motion was evaluated using two different point-light stimuli developed from video images of a ballet dancer's performance of a correct and incorrect turn in the fifth position. The results showed that individuals classifi ed as field independent made signifi cantly fewer visuospatial processing errors. The findings are considered and discussed in relation to theoretical perspectives associated with both cognitive processing and cognitive style.