Vibro-tactile and visual asynchronies: sensitivity and consistency

Perception. 2004;33(1):103-11. doi: 10.1068/p5014.

Abstract

We investigated the consistency between tactually and visually designated empty time intervals. In a forced-choice discrimination task, participants judged whether the second of two intervals was shorter or longer than the first interval. Two pulses defined the intervals. The pulse was either a vibro-tactile burst presented to the fingertip, or a foveally presented white square. The comparisons were made for uni-modal and cross-modal intervals. We used four levels of standard interval durations in the range of 100- 800 ms. The results showed that tactile empty intervals must be 8.5% shorter to be perceived as long as visual intervals. This cross-modal bias is larger for small intervals and decreases with increasing standard intervals. The Weber fractions (the threshold divided by the standard interval) are 20% and are constant over the standard intervals. This indicates that the Weber law holds for the range of interval lengths tested. Furthermore, the Weber fractions are consistent over uni-modal and cross-modal comparisons, which indicates that there is no additional noise involved in the cross-modal comparisons.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Analysis of Variance
  • Discrimination, Psychological / physiology
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Psychological Tests
  • Time Perception / physiology*
  • Touch / physiology*
  • Visual Perception / physiology*