Manipulable objects facilitate cross-modal integration in peripersonal space.

ABSTRACT: Previous studies have shown that tool use often modifies one's peripersonal space--i.e. the space directly surrounding our body. Given our profound experience with manipulable objects (e.g. a toothbrush, a comb or a teapot) in the present study we hypothesized that the observation of pictures representing manipulable objects would result in a remapping of peripersonal space as well. Subjects were required to report the location of vibrotactile stimuli delivered to the right hand, while ignoring visual distractors superimposed on pictures representing everyday objects. Pictures could represent objects that were of high manipulability (e.g. a cell phone), medium manipulability (e.g. a soap dispenser) and low manipulability (e.g. a computer screen). In the first experiment, when subjects atte

SUBMITTER: van Elk M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3176228 | biostudies-literature | 2011

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature