The picture morphing task – an efficient and quick means to measure updating

Abstract

We report the results of three studies using a picture morphing task. We argue that this task is an effective, easy to administer, and widely applicable assessment tool for probing the ability to update perceptual representations. By presenting a series of fifteen images that morph from one unambiguous object (e.g., rabbit) to a completely different object (e.g., duck), we can assess the time and evidence necessary for perceptual re-categorization in children, brain-damaged adults, and normal adult controls. Study one presented 3 and 5 year old children with a version of the picture morphing task and a Theory of Mind assessment (i.e., False Belief Task). The picture morphing task could be performed by both age groups. Within the 5-year old group, children who passed a False Belief Task and were able to correctly explain why, showed faster perceptual updating. Study two demonstrated that damage to the right hemisphere – especially the right anterior insula – resulted in an updating impairment; these patients requiring significantly more pictures before they reported the new object compared to left brain damaged patients. In study three, an fMRI experiment with healthy individuals, the anterior insula and mid-frontal regions were activated at the time when a change was reported, and immediately before. In summary, the picture morphing task offers an an efficient tool for measuring updating mental representations in vastly different experimental settings and participant populations. Meeting abstract presented at VSS 2016