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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 2, 2026

Tactile Semiautomatic Passive-Finger Angle Stimulator (TSPAS)

Tactile Semiautomatic Passive-Finger Angle Stimulator (TSPAS)

Published on: July 30, 2020

Haptic subitizing across the fingers.

Myrthe A Plaisier¹, Jeroen B J Smeets

¹Faculty of Human Movement Sciences, VU University, Van der Boechorststraat 9, 1081 BT Amsterdam, The Netherlands. M.Plaisier@fbw.vu.nl

Attention, Perception & Psychophysics

|April 12, 2011

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Subitizing, the rapid judgment of small quantities, requires a contrast between touching and non-touching fingers. This tactile difference, not proprioception, enables efficient numerosity perception.

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Last Updated: Jun 2, 2026

Tactile Semiautomatic Passive-Finger Angle Stimulator (TSPAS)

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Published on: July 30, 2020

A Tactile Automated Passive-Finger Stimulator (TAPS)

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Published on: June 3, 2009

Measurement of Vibration Detection Threshold and Tactile Spatial Acuity in Human Subjects

Measurement of Vibration Detection Threshold and Tactile Spatial Acuity in Human Subjects

Published on: September 1, 2016

Area of Science:

Cognitive Psychology
Neuroscience
Haptic Perception

Background:

Numerosity judgments for small item sets (≤ 3) are typically fast and accurate, a process known as subitizing.
Subitizing is generally thought to rely on efficient, parallel processing of stimulus properties.
The mechanisms underlying subitizing in active touch remain less understood.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the role of stimulus properties in subitizing within the active touch modality.
To test the hypothesis that subitizing relies on properties enabling efficient (parallel) search.
To determine the contribution of tactile versus proprioceptive information in haptic numerosity judgments.

Main Methods:

Participants judged the number of fingers touching a surface under various tactile and proprioceptive conditions.
Stimuli included raised lines on flat surfaces and judgments involving fingers in mid-air versus touching.
Experimental conditions manipulated tactile input to some fingers while others received proprioceptive input only.

Main Results:

Subitizing was not observed with raised lines among flat surfaces, though parallel detection occurred.
Subitizing was possible when judging the number of touching fingers if other fingers were in mid-air.
Proprioceptive information alone did not support subitizing; a contrast between tactile and non-tactile input was crucial.

Conclusions:

Haptic subitizing depends on a contrast between tactile stimulation and the absence of tactile input.
The efficient numerosity judgment process (subitizing) in touch is enabled by distinguishing between touching and non-touching fingers.
Proprioception alone is insufficient for subitizing; tactile input differentiation is essential.