Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 4, 2026
09:49
Methods to Explore the Influence of Top-down Visual Processes on Motor Behavior
Published on: April 16, 2014
The magic grasp: motor expertise in deception.
Cristiana Cavina-Pratesi1, Gustav Kuhn, Magdalena Ietswaart
1Department of Psychology, Durham University, Durham, United Kingdom. cristiana.cavina-pratesi@durham.ac.uk
Plos One
|February 25, 2011
Summary
Professional magicians can mimic real grasps when pretending to pick up visible objects. However, this skill falters when the imagined object is absent, suggesting practice refines visuomotor control.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive neuroscience
- Motor control
- Human perception
Background:
- Individuals typically exhibit distinct hand movements for real versus imagined object interactions.
- These kinematic differences are often attributed to specialized visuomotor pathways in the brain.
- Professional magicians, however, frequently employ deceptive pantomimed actions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether expert magicians maintain kinematic differences between real and pantomimed grasping actions.
- To explore the influence of object visibility on the precision of pantomimed grasps.
Main Methods:
- Magicians performed grasping actions towards real and imagined objects.
- Kinematic data of hand movements were analyzed.
- Experiments were conducted with visible (but displaced) and absent imagined objects.
Main Results:
- Magicians' pantomimed grasps closely resembled real grasps when the object was visible, even if displaced.
- This resemblance diminished when the imagined object was completely absent.
- Kinematic analysis revealed significant differences based on object presence.
Conclusions:
- Prolonged practice may allow the visuomotor system to calibrate actions based on displaced visual information.
- The occipito-parietal system in the dorsal stream can be adapted through training.
- Expertise can modulate the neural control of goal-directed actions.
Related Concept Videos
01:14Understanding Deception
Deception is a pervasive aspect of human communication. Empirical studies have shown that most individuals engage in some form of deceit on a daily basis, with approximately 20% of social exchanges involving deceptive elements. Lying follows a developmental trajectory, peaking during adolescence and declining with age, possibly due to the maturation of cognitive control and social accountability.Cognitive and Social Factors in Deception DetectionDespite its prevalence, accurately detecting...
01:13Nonconscious Mimicry
Nonconscious mimicry occurs when individuals alter their mannerisms to match the behaviors and expressions of those nearby, without intention.
01:29Magical Thinking
Magical thinking encompasses the belief in assumptions that defy logical reasoning yet appear intuitively convincing. It is a common psychological phenomenon that persists across various cultural and individual contexts. While these assumptions contradict empirical evidence and scientific laws, they often serve meaningful psychological roles in promoting emotional resilience and a sense of control, especially under stress or uncertainty.Thought-Action Fusion and the Law of SimilarityA key...
01:18Hierarchy of Motor Control
The hierarchy of motor control refers to the different levels of organization and processing involved in controlling movement in the body. These levels range from higher cortical areas involved in planning and decision-making to lower spinal cord reflexes that respond automatically to external stimuli.
01:29Dark Triad and Person Perception
Person perception is influenced by both external behaviors and the observer’s internal characteristics, including personality traits. Individuals with dark personality traits, comprising psychopathy, Machiavellianism, and narcissism — collectively known as the dark triad – exhibit manipulative and exploitative tendencies in social contexts. These traits affect how they perceive others and how they are perceived.The Role of Dark Personality Traits in Person PerceptionBlack et al. (2014) explored...
01:23Extrasensory Perception
Extrasensory perception, or ESP, suggests the ability to perceive events beyond the conventional senses of sight, hearing, and touch. Parapsychologists, who research ESP and related psychic phenomena, categorize ESP into three main types: precognition, telepathy, and clairvoyance.
Precognition involves foreseeing future events, such as predicting an accident before it happens. An example of precognition could be someone dreaming about a specific event, like a car crash, which then occurs...
Precognition involves foreseeing future events, such as predicting an accident before it happens. An example of precognition could be someone dreaming about a specific event, like a car crash, which then occurs...