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Perceptual learning following a long-lasting tactile reversal
1Dipartimento di Anatomia e Fisiologia Umana, Università di Torino, Italy.
Journal of Experimental Psychology. Human Perception and Performance
|February 1, 1991
Summary
Altering tactile perception, crossing adjacent fingers distorts spatial awareness. Long-term finger crossing can expand the functional range, improving perception and demonstrating the brain
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Sensory Perception
- Human Factors
Background:
- Tactile spatial perception is typically accurate with uncrossed fingers.
- Crossing adjacent fingers, such as the 2nd and 3rd, leads to distorted tactile perception.
- The functional range of action for finger spatial perception is not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if prolonged finger crossing can modify the functional range of action for tactile spatial perception.
- To determine if extended tactile experience can alter the brain's perceptual organization of the hand.
Main Methods:
- Six volunteers maintained a crossed-finger posture for up to six months.
- The functional range of action for the 2nd and 3rd fingers was assessed monthly.
- Tactile stimuli were applied to the fingertips to evaluate spatial perception accuracy.
Main Results:
- A variable period of sustained finger crossing led to an enlarged functional range of action.
- Spatial perception accuracy improved even with crossed fingers after prolonged practice.
- The results indicate a plasticity in the perceptual organization of the hand.
Conclusions:
- The perceptual organization of the human hand is adaptable and shaped by experience.
- Tactile spatial perception is not rigidly determined by genetic factors alone.
- Long-lasting sensory experiences can remap cortical representations for touch.