Abstract
Our representation of peripersonal space does not always accurately reflect the physical world. An example of this is pseudoneglect, a phenomenon in which neurologically normal individuals bisect to the left of the veridical midpoint, reflecting an overrepresentation of the left portion of space compared with the right one. Consistent biases have also been observed in the vertical and radial planes. It is an open question whether these biases depend on normal visual experience for their occurrence. Here we systematically investigated this issue by testing blindfolded sighted and early blind individuals in a haptic line bisection task. Critically, we found a robust leftward bias in all participants. In the vertical and radial planes, sighted participants showed a consistent downward and proximal bias. Conversely, the directional bias in blind participants was dependent on the final movement direction; thus, there was no general bias in either direction. These findings are discussed in terms of different reference frames adopted by sighted and blind participants when encoding space.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1110-1121 |
| Number of pages | 12 |
| Journal | Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance |
| Volume | 37 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Aug 2011 |
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Keywords
- Early blind
- Haptic line bisection
- Pseudoneglect
- Spatial representation
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
- Behavioral Neuroscience
Cite this
Spatial Biases in Peripersonal Space in Sighted and Blind Individuals Revealed by a Haptic Line Bisection Paradigm. / Cattaneo, Zaira; Fantino, Micaela; Tinti, Carla; Pascual-Leone, Alvaro; Silvanto, Juha; Vecchi, Tomaso.
In: Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, Vol. 37, No. 4, 08.2011, p. 1110-1121.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Spatial Biases in Peripersonal Space in Sighted and Blind Individuals Revealed by a Haptic Line Bisection Paradigm
AU - Cattaneo, Zaira
AU - Fantino, Micaela
AU - Tinti, Carla
AU - Pascual-Leone, Alvaro
AU - Silvanto, Juha
AU - Vecchi, Tomaso
PY - 2011/8
Y1 - 2011/8
N2 - Our representation of peripersonal space does not always accurately reflect the physical world. An example of this is pseudoneglect, a phenomenon in which neurologically normal individuals bisect to the left of the veridical midpoint, reflecting an overrepresentation of the left portion of space compared with the right one. Consistent biases have also been observed in the vertical and radial planes. It is an open question whether these biases depend on normal visual experience for their occurrence. Here we systematically investigated this issue by testing blindfolded sighted and early blind individuals in a haptic line bisection task. Critically, we found a robust leftward bias in all participants. In the vertical and radial planes, sighted participants showed a consistent downward and proximal bias. Conversely, the directional bias in blind participants was dependent on the final movement direction; thus, there was no general bias in either direction. These findings are discussed in terms of different reference frames adopted by sighted and blind participants when encoding space.
AB - Our representation of peripersonal space does not always accurately reflect the physical world. An example of this is pseudoneglect, a phenomenon in which neurologically normal individuals bisect to the left of the veridical midpoint, reflecting an overrepresentation of the left portion of space compared with the right one. Consistent biases have also been observed in the vertical and radial planes. It is an open question whether these biases depend on normal visual experience for their occurrence. Here we systematically investigated this issue by testing blindfolded sighted and early blind individuals in a haptic line bisection task. Critically, we found a robust leftward bias in all participants. In the vertical and radial planes, sighted participants showed a consistent downward and proximal bias. Conversely, the directional bias in blind participants was dependent on the final movement direction; thus, there was no general bias in either direction. These findings are discussed in terms of different reference frames adopted by sighted and blind participants when encoding space.
KW - Early blind
KW - Haptic line bisection
KW - Pseudoneglect
KW - Spatial representation
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=79961155207&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=79961155207&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1037/a0023511
DO - 10.1037/a0023511
M3 - Article
C2 - 21517214
AN - SCOPUS:79961155207
VL - 37
SP - 1110
EP - 1121
JO - Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance
JF - Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance
SN - 0096-1523
IS - 4
ER -