Cross-Modal Transfer as a Window Into the Investigation of Recent Stimulus and Response History in Perceptual...

Perceptual decisions are shaped by recent stimulus and response history, yet these history effects vary with experimental design and task structure. Their origins, the processing stages involved, the factors that determine their magnitude and the sources of individual differences require further investigation. We propose a multisensory approach that leverages cross-modal transfer of history effects as a diagnostic tool to address these open questions. Visual-vestibular stimuli are particularly suitable because both modalities contribute to estimating the body's position in space and they likely share central processing stages. This approach allows for manipulation of response format, independently of sensory stimulation. By moving beyond isolated sensory channels and examine perceptual decisions as they occur in everyday multisensory environments, we provide a framework to investigate when, how and why recent history shapes perception.