Tactile sensitivity to two types of stimulation: continuous and discrete shifting of a point stimulus

Tactile sensitivity to shifts of a point stimulus was determined at the forehead for spatially filled (continuous) and spatially separated (discrete) stimulation. The minimal limen was between 12 and 30 mm/sec. for continuous stimulation and at a 200-msec. interstimulus interval for discrete stimulation. The continuous thresholds were always lower than the discrete thresholds at the examined time rates. Furthermore, the continuous thresholds were slightly higher for oblique directions than for both vertical and horizontal directions, while the discrete thresholds were quite low for both vertical and horizontal directions.