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Jokisch D, Daum I, Troje N F, 2006, "Self recognition versus recognition of others by biological motion: Viewpoint-dependent effects" Perception 35(7) 911 – 920
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Self recognition versus recognition of others by biological motion: Viewpoint-dependent effects

Daniel Jokisch, Irene Daum, Nikolaus F Troje

Received 28 June 2004, in revised form 14 September 2005; published online 30 June 2006

Abstract. We investigated the influence of viewing angle on performance in recognising the identity of one’s own person and familiar individuals such as friends or colleagues from walking patterns. Viewpoint-dependent recognition performance was tested in two groups of twelve persons who knew each other very well. Participants’ motion data were acquired by recording their walking patterns in three-dimensional space with the use of a motion capture system. Size-normalised point-light displays of biological motion of these walking patterns, including one’s own, were presented to the same group members on a computer screen in frontal view, half-profile view, and profile view. Observers were requested to assign the person’s name to the individual gait pattern. No feedback was given. Whereas recognition performance of one’s own walking patterns was viewpoint independent, recognition rate for other familiar individuals was better for frontal and half-profile view than for profile view. These findings are discussed in the context of the theory of common coding of motor and visual body representations.

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