Definition:
The term perceptual space is introduced here as the totality of all sensory and cognitive impressions that an individual experiences and processes at a given time. It includes both the direct perception of the physical environment as well as mental constructs, memories and imaginations, similar to an image. The perceptual space thus complements the concept of the resonance space, in which the mental constructs, memories and imaginations lead to movements and actions.
Definition of a Digital Perceptual Space:
The digital perceptual space is an extension of the general perceptual space created by digital technologies and media. It comprises virtual realities, digital information and media-mediated experiences that penetrate the real living space and influence perception and cognition.
Discussion:
The concepts of perceptual space and, in particular, digital perceptual space are becoming increasingly important in an increasingly networked and digitalised world. They are closely related to theories of extended cognition and embodied cognition.
Barsalou’s ‘Simulation Theory’ (2008) offers an approach to illustrate the penetration of the digital perceptual space into the real living space. Barsalou argues that cognitive processes are often based on mental simulations that reactivate sensory, motor and affective states. In this sense, the digital perceptual space could be understood as an extension of this ability to simulate.
Metzinger (2003) developed the concept of the ‘phenomenal self-model’ (PSM), which describes how our self-experience is constructed from various sources of information. The digital perceptual space could be seen as an additional source for this PSM, whereby digital experiences are increasingly integrated into our understanding of ourselves and the world.
Clark and Chalmers (1998) proposed in their theory of the ‘extended mind’ that cognitive processes can extend beyond the boundaries of the brain and incorporate external resources. The digital perceptual space could be seen as such an extension of the mind, with digital technologies acting as cognitive tools.
The idea that the digital perceptual space ‘overwrites’ locally realistic perception is supported by studies on augmented reality (AR). For example, Wu et al. (2013) showed that AR experiences can influence spatial perception and navigation behaviour.
In his book ‘Experience on Demand’, Bailenson (2018) argues that virtual realities increasingly function as ‘experience machines’ that can also influence our perception and behaviour outside the virtual environment. This supports the idea of a permeable transition between digital and real perceptual space.
The penetration of the real living space by the digital perceptual space raises important philosophical and ethical questions. In his ‘Philosophy of Information’, Floridi (2014) argues that we are increasingly living in an ‘infosphere’ in which the boundaries between online and offline, artificial and natural, are becoming blurred.
It is important to emphasise that the integration of the digital perceptual space into the real living space harbours both opportunities and risks. On the one hand, it can lead to enhanced cognitive abilities and new forms of experience. On the other hand, there is a risk of alienation from physical reality and possible negative effects on mental well-being.
Future research should focus on how the digital perception space influences our cognition, our self-image and our social behaviour in the long term. Both the positive potential and possible risks should be taken into account.
[Excerpt from chapter 4 of the manuscript]
In cognitive research, structural patterns that relate to certain topics are also referred to as perception filters. These ‘settle’ like filter bubbles on the world view or spread as echo chambers in psychosocial zones. In psychology, these processes refer to the influence of social factors in an environment, such as the development of personality, emotions and behaviour. The term psychosocial zone includes, for example, spaces such as family, friends, educational, work and social circles. In sociology, it refers to the influence of psychological processes on social phenomena such as group dynamics, social norms and social structures. The number of studies dealing with psychosocial processes is large. However, only a small number of them are as extraordinary as the Stanford Prison Experiment, which was conducted by Philip Zimbardo in the 1970s. This study examined the behaviour of students in a simulated prison situation. The results of this study show that social roles and social identities can change in a very short time if the self-image is changed. The study had to be terminated prematurely as the students became so involved in their imaginations that individual students were at risk of being harmed.
Such ambivalent behaviour due to the exchange of self-image is not normally to be expected. However, there are concerns about robots. The possibility of humanoid ‘mind-wandering’ and uncontrolled behaviour once humanoid systems have achieved a generally human-like artificial intelligence and are possibly influenced by a transnational artificial superintelligence is currently only part of a global imagination. This imagination, which is highly dynamic because it contains such complex details and must be constantly discussed but does not change, is referred to here as a ‘perceptual space’. In physics and other sciences, such phenomena are observed as standing waves, which we discuss in more detail in chapter 6 of the manuscript.
Literature:
Bailenson, J. (2018). Experience on demand: What virtual reality is, how it works, and what it can do. WW Norton & Company.
Barsalou, L. W. (2008). Grounded cognition. Annual Review of Psychology, 59, 617-645.
Clark, A., & Chalmers, D. (1998). The extended mind. Analysis, 58(1), 7-19.
Floridi, L. (2014). The fourth revolution: How the infosphere is reshaping human reality. Oxford University Press.
Metzinger, T. (2003). Being no one: The self-model theory of subjectivity. MIT Press.
Wu, H. K., Lee, S. W. Y., Chang, H. Y., & Liang, J. C. (2013). Current status, opportunities and challenges of augmented reality in education. Computers & Education, 62, 41-49.