Head Lines; July / August 2011; Scientific American Mind; by Andrea Anderson; Michele Solis; Mark Lescroartÿ; Janelle Weaver; Valerie Ross; Joe Kloc; Morgen E. Peck; Katherine Harmon; Erica Westly; Carrie Arnold; Nathan Collins; Aimee Cunningham; 8 Page(s)

Successful batters often report that the baseball looked “huge” just before they hit a home run. This effect, dubbed action-specific perception, has been noted for years in all kinds of physical activities.

Yet questions remain about why the illusion happens. Some experts say it is a consequence of imagining the action before you make a move. Others suspect that knowing you nailed it might conjure a larger target in your memory. But a new study in Acta Psychologica suggests neither process alone is enough. Something else is needed: visual attention.