My view on your actions: Dynamic changes in viewpoint-dependent auditory ERP attenuation during action observation
Alexander Seidel1, Constanze Weber2, Marta Ghio1
1Institute of Experimental Psychology, Department of Biological Psychology, Heinrich Heine University, Universitätstrasse, 1, 40255, Düsseldorf, Germany.
Cognitive, Affective & Behavioral Neuroscience
|March 23, 2023
Summary
Observing actions from a first-person view dynamically alters auditory processing over time, unlike third-person observation. This suggests viewpoint-specific sensorimotor prediction during action observation.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Science
- Auditory Perception
Background:
- Action observation involves mapping observed actions onto one's own motor system.
- The influence of observational viewpoint on processing sensory consequences of actions is under-explored.
- Temporal dynamics of viewpoint-dependent modulation are not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate viewpoint-dependent modulation of auditory processing during action observation.
- To examine how observational perspective (first-person vs. third-person) affects early sensory processing of action outcomes.
- To explore the temporal dynamics of these effects within experimental runs.
Main Methods:
- Event-related potentials (ERPs) were used to measure auditory processing of observed actions.
- Sounds generated by observed actions were compared to externally generated sounds.
- Multilevel modeling analyzed amplitude reductions in N1, P2, and N2 components across viewpoints and time.
- First-person and third-person observational perspectives were contrasted.
Main Results:
- An N1 component reduction was observed for both first-person and third-person action observation compared to external sounds.
- A temporal dynamic was found in the N1 reduction specifically during first-person observation, emerging over time.
- A viewpoint-independent P2 reduction was observed, diminishing in the latter half of the experiment.
- An exploratory analysis of the N2 component showed a late-emerging reduction, with a temporal dynamic for the first-person perspective.
Conclusions:
- Auditory processing of observed actions is dynamically modulated by the observational viewpoint over time.
- First-person action observation involves time-variant, viewpoint-dependent sensorimotor prediction.
- Emerging N2 dynamics in first-person observation may relate to agency processing.
- These findings highlight the complex interplay between observation, viewpoint, and sensory prediction.
