Dissociating processes supporting causal perception and causal inference in the brain.
An understanding of relations between causes and effects is essential for making sense of the dynamic physical world. It has been argued that this understanding of causality depends on both perceptual and inferential components. To investigate whether causal perception and causal inference rely on common or on distinct processes, the authors tested 2 callosotomy (split-brain) patients and a group of neurologically intact participants. The authors show that the direct perception of causality and the ability to infer causality depend on different hemispheres of the divided brain. This finding implies that understanding causality is not a unitary process and that causal perception and causal inference can proceed independently.
Roser
Matthew E
ME
Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755-3569, USA. Matthew.Roser@Dartmouth.edu
Fugelsang
Jonathan A
JA
Dunbar
Kevin N
KN
Corballis
Paul M
PM
Gazzaniga
Michael S
MS
D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003210:Concept Formation / Q000502:physiology*; D003337:Corpus Callosum / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007600:Judgment / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009039:Motion Perception / Q000502:physiology; D010465:Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D010775:Photic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D014794:Visual Fields / Q000502:physiology