Coriolis effect (perception)

For the effect studied in physics, see Coriolis effect.

In psychophysical perception, the Coriolis effect (also referred to as the Coriolis illusion or the vestibular Coriolis effect) is the misperception of body orientation due to head movement while under the effect of rotation, often inducing nausea.[1][2][3] This effect comes about as the head is moved in contrary or similar motion with the body during the time of a spin. This goes on to affect the vestibular system, particularly the semicircular canals which are affected by the acceleration. This causes a sense of dizziness or nausea before equilibrium is restored after the head returns to a stabilized state.[4][5] Crucially, this illusion is based entirely upon perception, and is largely due to conflicting signals between one's sight and one's perception of their body position or motion.[6] Examples of situations where this can arise are circular acceleration and movement during a circular rotation. [7]

There is also the pseudo-Coriolis effect (also referred to as the optokinetic pseudo-Coriolis effect), which takes place when there is no physical circular movement, only visual.[8][9] Perceptually it feels the same as the Coriolis effect, being perceived as self motion inducing the same kind of nausea and often the cause of motion sickness.

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  2. ^ Sanders MS, McCormick EJ (1993). Human factors in engineering and design. McGraw-Hill International Editions Psychology series (Seventh ed.). New York, NY London Madrid: McGraw-Hill. ISBN 978-0-07-112826-1.
  3. ^ Ebenholtz SM (2001). Oculomotor systems and perception. Cambridge: Cambridge Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0-521-80459-2.
  4. ^ Mather G (2006). Foundations of perception. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 0-86377-835-6.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference Ercoline2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Bles W, Bos JE, de Graaf B, Groen E, Wertheim AH (November 1998). "Motion sickness: only one provocative conflict?". Brain Research Bulletin. 47 (5): 481–487. doi:10.1016/S0361-9230(98)00115-4. PMID 10052578.
  7. ^ Bles W (November 1998). "Coriolis effects and motion sickness modelling". Brain Research Bulletin. 47 (5): 543–549. doi:10.1016/S0361-9230(98)00089-6. PMID 10052586.
  8. ^ Holly JE, McCollum G (January 1996). "The shape of self-motion perception--II. framework and principles for simple and complex motion". Neuroscience. 70 (2): 487–513. doi:10.1016/0306-4522(95)00355-X. PMID 8848155.
  9. ^ Bles W, Bos JE, de Graaf B, Groen E, Wertheim AH (November 1998). "Motion sickness: only one provocative conflict?". Brain Research Bulletin. 47 (5): 481–7. doi:10.1016/s0361-9230(98)00115-4. PMID 10052578.