How robust are the deviations in haptic parallelity?

2019

Exp Brain Res

The large systematic deviations in haptic parallelity matching are most likely due to the biasing influence of the hand-centered egocentric reference frame. Previous results showed that eliminating or reducing this bias resulted in smaller deviations, with significantly larger effects observed in female participants. The current study investigated the effect of reducing the egocentric bias in a pure haptic condition. Blind-folded male and female participants had to feel the orientation of a reference bar with their non-dominant hand and to parallel this orientation on a test bar with their dominant hand. In one condition, they were instructed to use their flat-stretched hand to feel and match the bars, while in the other condition (HPF), they were instructed to set the test bar while gripping the bar with the fingers and thumb. It was hypothesized that the latter would reduce the biasing influence of the hand-centered egocentric reference frame. Results showed that this was indeed the case. Deviations were significantly smaller for HPF; however, this effect was the same in both genders. The previously observed gender effect, showing a significantly larger improvement for women when reducing the influence of the egocentric reference frame, was not replicated.

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Changing the influence of the egocentric reference frame impacts deviations in haptic parallelity matching

2019

Exp Brain Res

“…Additionally, the magnitude of the deviations has been found to be influenced by task instruction (Kaas & Van Mier, 2006;Van Mier, 2013). A combination of training and feedback resulted in a marginally improvement (Kappers, et al, 2008).…”

Section: Factors Affecting Parallelity Matchingmentioning

confidence: 98%

Haptic Perception of Parallelity

2014

PBS

Research has shown that the haptic perception of orientation is susceptible to systematic spatial bias. Large and systematic deviations have been found in haptic parallelity matching tasks supporting a reference frame based model. It has been suggested that the observed deviations result from the use of a frame of reference that is intermediate to an allocentric and an egocentric reference frame. The systemic bias of the deviations seems be caused by the strong bias produced by the hand-centered egocentric reference frame. In this paper results of studies are discussed showing a strong evidence for the abovementioned model in which egocentric representations exist in parallel to allocentric ones, and in which the former is biased by a hand-centered reference frame. The extent to which each representation is used appears to depend on factors like orientation, distance, gender, task instruction, practice and training. Manipulations stimulating allocentric processing or reducing egocentric processing have been shown to affect haptic parallelity performance.

“…Because the settings in this task have been found to lie in between deviations in an allocentric and egocentric reference frame, Kappers (2003Kappers ( , 2004Kappers ( , 2007 proposed that parallelity in the haptic domain is most likely performed in a frame of reference that is intermediate to an egocentric frame of reference which is mainly centered on the hand, and an allocentric reference frame that is fixed to external space. Furthermore, because the observed deviations are highly participant-dependent, Kappers (2004Kappers ( , 2007Kappers and Viergever 2006) has argued that haptic parallelity is a weighted average of egoand allocentric referencing. Participants that depend more on an egocentric reference frame would show larger deviations, while participants that rely more on an allocentric frame would show smaller deviations.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Participants who had knowledge about and were aware of the deviations in this task performed at the same level as naïve participants (Hermens et al 2006 ). Performance hardly improved after visual or haptic training and feedback, and only when combining haptic and visual training, a small improvement was found (Kappers et al 2008 ). Recently, Van Mier ( 2020 ) looked at the effect of having participants perform the parallelity task visually and haptically in between haptic blocks.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Influence of action video gaming on spatial representation in the haptic modality

Jiao

2020

Exp Brain Res

Spatial representation in the haptic domain has been shown to be prone to systematic errors. When participants are asked to make two bars haptically parallel, their performance deviates from what would be veridically parallel. This is hypothesized to be caused by the bias of the egocentric reference frame. Stimulating the use of an allocentric reference frame has previously been shown to improve performance in haptic parallelity matching. The aim of the current study was to investigate the influence of action video game experience on parallelity performance. We hypothesized that participants who extensively play action video games with a so-called ‘bird’s-eye view’ are likely to process spatial information more allocentrically, resulting in better performance in haptic parallelity matching. This was tested in two groups of male participants, 10 participants with extensive action video gaming experience (AVGPs) and 10 participants without or hardly any action video gaming experience (NAVGPs). Additionally, the effect of visual–haptic practice on haptic parallelity performance was tested. In the haptic blocks, blindfolded participants had to feel the orientation of a reference bar with their non-dominant hand and had to match this orientation on a test bar with their dominant hand. In subsequent visual–haptic blocks, they had full view of the set-up and visually paralleled both bars. As hypothesized, AVGPs performed significantly better in haptic blocks than NAVGPs. Visual–haptic practice resulted in significantly better performance in subsequent haptic blocks in both groups. These results suggest that playing action video games might enhance haptic spatial representation, although a causative relationship still needs to be established.