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Published on: May 23, 2019
Perceptual learning of view-independence in visuo-haptic object representations
Simon Lacey1, Marisa Pappas, Alexandra Kreps
1Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Emory University, WMB-6000, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA.
Experimental Brain Research
|June 2, 2009
Summary
Cross-modal object recognition is view-independent, unlike within-modal recognition. This study shows that view-independent, multisensory representations integrate directly from view-dependent sensory inputs, not intermediate representations.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Science
- Neuroscience
- Perception
Background:
- Cross-modal object recognition is typically view-independent.
- Within-modal recognition (vision or haptics alone) is usually view-dependent.
- The origin of cross-modal view-independence is debated: direct integration of view-dependent inputs or via intermediate view-independent representations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether cross-modal view-independence arises from direct integration of unisensory view-dependent representations or intermediate unisensory view-independent representations.
- To differentiate between two models of cross-modal object recognition.
Main Methods:
- Two psychophysical experiments were conducted.
- Participants initially exhibited view-dependence in both visual and haptic object recognition.
- Perceptual learning was used to induce view-independence within a modality and cross-modally.
Main Results:
- Perceptual learning induced within-modal view-independence that transferred symmetrically across modalities (vision to haptics and vice versa).
- Cross-modal learning also transformed both visual and haptic view-dependence into view-independence.
- These findings support a direct integration model.
Conclusions:
- Cross-modal view-independence is achieved through the direct integration of unisensory, view-dependent representations into a bisensory, view-independent representation.
- This challenges models proposing intermediate, unisensory view-independent representations.
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