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Eyes versus hands: How perceived stimuli influence motor actions
Alexander Geiger1,2, Eva Niessen1, Gary Bente3,4
1Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine-Cognitive Neuroscience (INM-3), Research Centre Juelich, Juelich, Germany.
Plos One
|July 27, 2017
Summary
Biological stimuli, like gaze shifts, redirect attention faster than non-biological ones. Response type significantly impacts attention redirection, with matching stimuli and actions yielding quicker reactions.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Human-Computer Interaction
Background:
- Attention redirection is influenced by both biological and non-biological stimuli.
- Biological stimuli are often considered more effective in capturing and redirecting attention.
- The specific impact of biological stimuli and response congruency on attention remains an area of investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether biological stimuli have differential influences on attention redirection compared to non-biological stimuli.
- To determine if the effectiveness of attention redirection is dependent on the congruence between the stimulus and the motor response.
- To compare reaction times when interacting with biological versus non-biological stimuli and analyze the effect of response type.
Main Methods:
- Two experiments were conducted involving participants interacting with various stimuli (biological and non-biological).
- Experiment 1 compared responses to biological versus non-biological stimuli with different response types (saccade, button press).
- Experiment 2 examined responses to different biological stimuli (gaze-shifts, hand movements) with matching or mismatching response types.
Main Results:
- Interacting with biological stimuli resulted in faster response times than non-biological stimuli, irrespective of response type.
- Response congruence played a crucial role; matching stimulus-response types led to faster reactions.
- Gaze-following (reacting to a gaze shift with a saccade) produced the quickest responses, highlighting stimulus-response compatibility.
Conclusions:
- Attention redirection is influenced by the nature of the stimulus (biological vs. non-biological).
- The congruency between the perceived stimulus and the executed motor response significantly modulates attention redirection.
- Optimal attention redirection occurs when the stimulus and response are compatible, particularly in biologically relevant interactions like gaze following.
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