Examining Whether Semantic Cues Can Affect Felt Heaviness When Lifting Novel Objects

Area of Science:

• Cognitive psychology
• Perception science
• Sensorimotor control

Background:

• Object perception is influenced by both low-level stimulus properties and high-level cognitive expectations.
• Previous research shows size-weight and material-weight illusions, but the role of semantic cues is less understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if semantic cues (labels) can induce a novel weight illusion.
• To examine how semantic cues influence pre-lifting expectations and sensorimotor predictions of heaviness.

Main Methods:

• Participants lifted equally-sized and weighted objects labeled 'light' or 'heavy'.
• Perceived heaviness was reported pre- and post-lifting.
• Fingertip forces during lifting were measured.

Main Results:

• Labels influenced pre-lift-off expectations of heaviness.
• No significant effect of labels on perceived heaviness or early lifting forces was observed.
• Explicit semantic expectations did not override implicit expectations from object size.

Conclusions:

• Semantic cues alone are insufficient to induce a weight illusion.
• Cognitive expectations appear segregated, with explicit labels having less impact than implicit cues like object size.
• This highlights the complex and variable influence of different types of expectations on perception and action.