Spatial Representations of the Sets of Familiar and Unfamiliar Television Programs

Abstract

Three experiments explored representations of spaces depicted on long-running television shows. The first two experiments tested representations of the space depicted in the show ER, which is filmed on a multiple-view set that allows the action to be viewed from any vantage point. Participants who had not seen the show, as well as those who had seen it frequently, made judgments about relative directions on the ER set. The experienced viewers were unable to perform this task more accurately than novices. In the third experiment, representations of two multiple-view sets (ER and West Wing) were compared with representations of more traditional constrained-view sets in which camera positions are limited to the region behind a “fourth wall.” Results demonstrated that experience watching the constrained-view shows was much more strongly associated with accurate representations than was experience with the multiple-view shows. In addition, a novel view of a constrained set was tested, and experience again did not facilitate correct responding. These results suggest that long-term spatial memories can result from short-term spatial coding of individual scenes, but only when views are generally consistent.

Notes

*p < .05

**p < .01

***p < .001.