Perception of Inclined Plane While Walking without Vision

Abstract

164 blind Ss and 30 blindfolded, sighted controls walked and reported their perceptions of a pathway whose surface contained grades of 1, 2, 4, and 6° of incline and decline from the horizontal. It was found that the perception of incline and decline were independent perceptual attributes and that Ss were more sensitive to decline than to incline. The blind were more sensitive to decline than sighted controls. Various other inter-group differences between various portions of the blind population were found.