Document Detail


Attenuating the haptic horizontal-vertical curvature illusion.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  20675806     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
In a number of experiments, blindfolded subjects traced convex curves whose verticals were equal to their horizontal extent at the base. Overestimation of verticals, as compared with horizontals, was found, indicating the presence of a horizontal-vertical illusion with haptic curves, as well as with visible curves. Experiment 1 showed that the illusion occurred with stimuli in the frontal plane and with stimuli that were flat on the table surface in vision and touch. In the second experiment, the stimuli were rotated, and differences between vision and touch were revealed, with a stronger illusion in touch. The haptic horizontal-vertical illusion was virtually eliminated when the stimuli were bimanually touched using free exploration at the body midline, but a strong illusion was obtained when curves were felt with two index fingers or with a single hand at the midline. Bimanual exploration eliminated the illusion for smaller 2.5- through 10.2-cm stimuli, but a weakened illusion remained for the largest 12.7-cm patterns. The illusion was present when the stimuli were bimanually explored in the left and right hemispace. Thus, the benefits of bimanual exploration derived from the use of the two hands at the body midline combined with free exploration, rather than from bimanual free exploration per se. The results indicate the importance of haptic exploration at the body midline, where the body can serve as a familiar reference metric for size judgments. Alternative interpretations of the results are discussed, including the impact of movement-based heuristics as a causal factor for the illusion. It was suggested that tracing the curve's peak served to bisect the curve in haptics, because of the change in direction.
Authors:
Morton A Heller; Anne D McClure Walk; Rita Schnarr; Stephanie Kibble; Brett Litwiller; Cassie Ambuehl
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Comparative Study; Journal Article; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.    
Journal Detail:
Title:  Attention, perception & psychophysics     Volume:  72     ISSN:  1943-393X     ISO Abbreviation:  Atten Percept Psychophys     Publication Date:  2010 Aug 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2010-08-02     Completed Date:  2010-12-28     Revised Date:  2011-02-24    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  101495384     Medline TA:  Atten Percept Psychophys     Country:  United States    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  1626-41     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Department, Eastern Illinois University, Physical Sciences Building, Charleston, IL 61920, USA. maheller@eiu.edu
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Discrimination (Psychology)
Female
Form Perception*
Functional Laterality
Humans
Judgment
Male
Optical Illusions*
Orientation*
Psychophysics
Sensory Deprivation
Size Perception*
Stereognosis*

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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