Curved sixth fingers: Flexible representation of the shape of supernumerary body parts

Cadete, Denise; Alsmith, Adrian; Longo, Matthew R.

doi:10.1016/j.concog.2022.103413

Cited by 4 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 44 publications

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“…from the body and parallel to the fifth finger). We confirmed the results of Cadete et al (2022) showing that the illusion persists with a sixth finger curved laterally toward the fifth finger and extended these results to a sixth finger curving in the opposite direction, away from the body. We were also able to induce the sensation of numerous fingers in empty space: 10 fingers on one hand, with five of them being invisible, and two fingers in empty space at the same time.…”

Section: Methodssupporting

confidence: 89%

“…Recently, Cadete and Longo (2022) found that the Anne Boleyn illusion could change the perceived length of the illusory sixth finger, making it feel shorter or longer than a fifth finger. In a separate study, Cadete et al (2022) also found that participant can embody and perceive a curved sixth finger curved laterally toward the fifth finger at 180°. In the present study, we modified the Anne Boleyn illusion to examine whether changes in size and shape of the illusory sixth finger, specifically curvature or bends in the finger (laterally toward and away from the fifth finger), would influence embodiment of the illusory sixth finger.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 86%

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Examining constraints on embodiment using the Anne Boleyn illusion.

Ambron¹,

Medina²

2023

Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Perfor

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Using a mirror box, the concurrent stroking of the lateral side of the fifth finger behind the mirror along with stroking the empty space next to the mirror-reflected hand’s fifth finger results in a strong sense of having a sixth finger—the Anne Boleyn illusion. We used this illusion to understand what constraints illusory embodiment. In Experiment 1, we manipulated the anatomical constraints, posture, and stroking of the sixth finger, along with other variants. Given evidence from other body illusions, we predicted no illusory embodiment in conditions in which the sixth finger was created in a manner incompatible with a typical hand, when the mirror and viewed hands were in different posture, and when stroking differed. Surprisingly, the illusion was persistent in most variants, including those with curved fingers, elongated fingers, and even with mismatches between the posture of the viewed and hidden hand. In Experiment 2, we manipulated the orientation, shape, and length of the illusory sixth finger, presenting more extreme versions of the illusion. The illusion was significantly diminished only when the sixth finger was far from the hand, or in a very implausible posture. This evidence suggests that body representations are extremely flexible and allow for embodiment of empty space in conditions not seen in other body illusions. We suggest that bottom-up information from concurrent visuotactile input, combined with reduced constraints provided by the “blank canvas” of empty space, results in a particularly robust illusion.

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Section: Methodssupporting

confidence: 89%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 86%

Examining constraints on embodiment using the Anne Boleyn illusion.

Ambron¹,

Medina²

2023

Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Perfor

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Matches, mismatches, and the experience of supernumerary body parts

Cadete

Longo

2023

Physics of Life Reviews

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IX—Unmistaken: Imaginative Perception and Illusion

Alsmith

2024

Proceedings of the Aristotelian Society

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Sometimes what we perceive appears other than it is. The term ‘illusion’ is often used to capture the broad variety of cases in which this occurs. But some of these cases are better described as cases of imaginative perception—cases in which what we perceive appears as we imagine it to be. I argue that imaginative perception is to be sharply contrasted with illusions variously conceived as cases of misleading appearance and cases of perceptual error. By removing the blanket term ‘illusion’ from our description of such cases, we can better see the underlying complex of cognitive processes they involve.

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Curved sixth fingers: Flexible representation of the shape of supernumerary body parts

Cited by 4 publications

References 44 publications

Examining constraints on embodiment using the Anne Boleyn illusion.

Examining constraints on embodiment using the Anne Boleyn illusion.

Matches, mismatches, and the experience of supernumerary body parts

IX—Unmistaken: Imaginative Perception and Illusion

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