Reshaping the peripersonal space in virtual reality

Peripersonal space (PPS) is defined as the space that lies within reach. Previous research revealed that PPS can be dynamically reshaped with the use of tools extending the arm's reach. Here we investigated whether PPS reshaping depends on the kind of selected tool and/or the motor routine associated with its use. Participants carried out a visuo-tactile detection task in an immersive VR environment that allowed to measure the PPS size before and after a short period of tools use. In Experiment 1, participants had to pull or push objects towards or away from themselves using a shovel. In Experiment 2, they were required to either hammer or shoot an avatar placed in the Extrapersonal space. We found, for the first time in a VR environment, that a period of pull training was effective in enlarging the PPS, a result that replicates and expands previous findings carried out in real life conditions. However, no significant change in PPS size was achieved for training with other tools and motor routines. Our results suggest that the reshaping of PPS is a complex phenomenon in which the kind of interaction between the agent, the targets and the exploited motor routines all play a critical role.