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Factors affecting the haptic filled-space illusion for dynamic touch.

Abram F J Sanders¹, Astrid M L Kappers

¹Physics of Man, Helmholtz Institute, Utrecht University, P.O. Box 80 000, 3508 TA, Utrecht, The Netherlands. a.f.j.sanders@uu.nl

Experimental Brain Research

|November 13, 2008

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

The haptic filled-space illusion causes overestimation of length, even without length cues. Illusion strength increases with more filler elements, independent of movement speed.

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Area of Science:

Psychology
Neuroscience
Human Perception

Background:

The haptic filled-space illusion involves overestimating lengths when the fingertip moves across stimulated rather than empty space.
Parameters influencing the strength of this illusion are not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate factors affecting the strength of the haptic filled-space illusion.
To determine if the illusion persists without explicit length information from filler elements.
To examine the relationship between filler element quantity and illusion strength.

Main Methods:

Participants actively moved their fingertip across haptic extents, some filled with intermediate stimulations.
Controlled for movement speed differences between filled and unfilled extents.
Varied the number of filler elements within the haptic extents.

Main Results:

The haptic filled-space illusion persisted even when filler elements lacked length information.
Illusion strength was positively correlated with the number of filler elements.
Illusion strength was independent of average movement speed across extents.

Conclusions:

The haptic filled-space illusion is robust and not solely dependent on length cues from filler elements.
The quantity of tactile stimulation influences the magnitude of haptic length overestimation.
Findings suggest a dissociation between movement speed and the mechanisms driving haptic length perception in this illusion.