Galati, A. , Michael, C. , Greenauer, N. , Mello, C. & Avraamides, M.
University of Cyprus
Does advance knowledge about a partner’s perspective affect how people remember and describe spatial information? 18 Directors learned arrays of objects while: (1) not knowing about having to describe the array to a Matcher, (2) knowing about the subsequent description, and (3) knowing the Matcher’s subsequent viewpoint, which was offset by 90°, 135°, or 180°. In memory tests preceding descriptions, Directors were faster to recall objects from perspectives aligned with their own. Additionally, knowing that Matchers would be offset by 90° or 135°, led to slower orienting to these perspectives. Although Directors showed overriding preferences for the perspective of their descriptions, knowing the Matchers’ viewpoint led to consistent switches in perspectives—to more Director-centered expressions for 135° and more Matcher-centered at orthogonal offsets. These findings suggest that advance information about the partner’s perspective is incorporated in spatial memory and enables communicating partners to coordinate flexibly the perspective of their descriptions.