The Simon effect under reversed visual feedback

Our aim was to study the processes involved in the spatial coding of the body during actions producing multiple simultaneous effects. We specifically aimed to challenge the intentional-based account, which proposes that the effects used to code responses are those deemed relevant to the agent's goal. Accordingly, we used a Simon paradigm (widely recognized as a suitable method to investigate the spatial coding of responses) combined with a setup inducing a multimodal discrepancy between visual and tactile/proprioceptive effects (known to be crucial for body schema construction and action control). To be more precise, the setup allowed to horizontally reverse the visual effects of the hands compared to the tactile/proprioceptive effects (e.g., the right hand was seen as being on the left). In Experiment 1, the visual effects were not reversed. However, in Experiment 2, the visual effects were reversed, and the task emphasized the relevance of these effects to the participants. In Experiment 3, the visual effects were also reversed, but the task emphasized the relevance of tactile/proprioceptive effects. A Simon effect, based on the location of the tactile/proprioceptive effects, was observed in Experiments 1 and 3. However, in Experiment 2, the Simon effect was partially driven by the location of the visual effects. These findings collectively support that the agent's intention plays a prominent role in the representation of their body during action. This work also suggests a promising avenue for research in linking action and body representations.