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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 11, 2025

Methods to Explore the Influence of Top-down Visual Processes on Motor Behavior

Methods to Explore the Influence of Top-down Visual Processes on Motor Behavior

Published on: April 16, 2014

Influence of colour on object motor representation.

Gioacchino Garofalo¹, Lucia Riggio¹

¹Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Italy.

Neuropsychologia

|December 3, 2021

Summary

Color significantly influences how the brain plans movements, impacting grasp representations. This research reveals a close link between an object's color, its shape, and our sensorimotor system.

Keywords:

Affordances Colour Motor representation Object Two visual-streams hypothesis

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Last Updated: Oct 11, 2025

Methods to Explore the Influence of Top-down Visual Processes on Motor Behavior

Methods to Explore the Influence of Top-down Visual Processes on Motor Behavior

Published on: April 16, 2014

Investigating Object Representations in the Macaque Dorsal Visual Stream Using Single-unit Recordings

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Published on: August 1, 2018

Methods for Presenting Real-world Objects Under Controlled Laboratory Conditions

Methods for Presenting Real-world Objects Under Controlled Laboratory Conditions

Published on: June 21, 2019

Area of Science:

Cognitive Neuroscience
Motor Control
Visual Perception

Background:

Object recognition extensively studies color's role, but its impact on sensorimotor processes remains less understood.
The motor representation of graspable objects is crucial for effective interaction with the environment.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate whether object color influences the motor representation of graspable objects.
To explore the interplay between color, shape, and sensorimotor control.
To examine specific motor responses to dangerous objects based on their color.

Main Methods:

Three experiments involving reach-to-grasp movements were conducted.
A grasp compatibility task assessed reaction times for objects presented in correct or incorrect colors.
An interference task evaluated the effect of irrelevant object color on pre-specified movements.

Main Results:

Faster reaction times were observed for natural objects in their correct color compared to artifacts or objects with incorrect colors.
A reversed compatibility effect emerged for correctly colored objects at early movement stages (10 ms SOA).
Distinct motor processes were identified for dangerous natural objects, confirming color's influence on grasp planning.

Conclusions:

Color plays a significant role in the motor system, influencing object motor representations.
There is a close link between an object's color and its perceived shape in sensorimotor planning.
The motor system exhibits specific processing for dangerous objects, modulated by color cues.