Psychological processes of perceiving implied motion in static images

The aim of this study was to investigate four sources of implied motion in static images (a moving object as the source of implied motion, hand movements of the image creator as the source of implied motion, past experiences of the observer as the source of implied motion, and fictive movement of a point across an image as the source of implied motion). In the experiment of the study, participants orally described 16 static images that appeared on the screen of a computer. The aim was to find whether participants had used any motion-related word to describe each image. It was assumed that using motion-related words to describe a static image was an indication that the image had created a sense of motion for the observer. These results indicated that all four types of implied motion could create a significant sense of motion for the observer. Based on these results, it is suggested that observing these images could lead to simulating the actions involved in those motion events and the activation of the motor system. Finally, it is proposed that the three characteristics of being rule-based (clearly-defined), continuous, and gradual are critical in perceiving that image as a fictive motion.