Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 14, 2026
07:04
Virtual Reality Tools for Assessing Unilateral Spatial Neglect: A Novel Opportunity for Data Collection
Published on: March 10, 2021
4.6K
A three-dimensional spatial characterization of the crossed-hands deficit
Elena Azañón1, Kim Mihaljevic1, Matthew R Longo1
1Department of Psychological Sciences, Birkbeck, University of London, London WC1E 7HX, UK.
Cognition
|October 5, 2016
Summary
The crossed-hands deficit in tactile spatial remapping is reduced by other spatial cues but persists, indicating it reflects automatic 3D tactile encoding, not just left-right processing.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Sensory Perception
- Human Factors
Background:
- Tactile spatial remapping integrates skin location with body part position.
- The crossed-hands deficit impairs temporal order judgment of touches when arms are crossed, creating left-right spatial conflict.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if the crossed-hands deficit reflects tactile remapping in 3D space.
- To determine if non-left-right spatial dimensions influence the crossed-hands deficit.
Main Methods:
- Participants judged the temporal order of tactile stimuli on crossed and uncrossed hands.
- Arms were positioned at different elevations (up-down) or distances (close-far).
Main Results:
- The crossed-hands deficit was reduced when orthogonal spatial information (up-down, close-far) was available.
- The deficit persisted even when non-conflicting dimensional information was sufficient for task performance.
Conclusions:
- The crossed-hands deficit is linked to 3D tactile spatial encoding, not solely left-right processing.
- Tactile information integration is automatic and incorporates all available spatial cues.
