Joint Position Accuracy Is Influenced by Visuoproprioceptive Congruency in Virtual Reality

Weighted integration of visual and proprioceptive information is important in movement planning and execution. The present study used a virtual reality system to determine how upper limb movement consistency and accuracy are altered when (a) vision of the limb is removed and (b) proprioception and vision of the limb are misaligned. A one degree of freedom upper limb movement task was performed under three visual conditions of the limb; accurate vision, no vision, and offset vision. Movement consistency was unaltered by the change in visual condition. Compared to the accurate vision condition, movement accuracy was unchanged in the no vision condition but decreased with a visual offset. When available, vision was relied upon more heavily than proprioception for task completion.