Self-attributed body-shadows modulate tactile attention.
Our body-shadows are special stimuli in the visual world. They often have anatomical resemblance with our own body-parts and move as our body moves, with spatio-temporal correlation. Here, we show that self-attributed body-shadows cue attention to the body-part they refer to, rather than the location they occupy. Using speeded spatial discrimination for tactile or visual targets at the hands, or for visual targets delivered near the hand-shadows, we demonstrate that mere viewing of task-irrelevant shadows can selectively facilitate tactile discrimination at the body-part casting the shadow (Experiment 1). In addition, such facilitation only develops through time for cast-shadows that have no resemblance with the body-part, but move in spatio-temporal correlation with it (Experiment 2). Conversely, facilitation fades away rapidly for shadow-like images that resemble the stimulated body-part, but are in fact static pictures (Experiment 3). Thus, recognising oneself as the owner of a shadow affects distribution of tactile attention.
Pavani
Francesco
F
Department of Cognitive Science and Education, University of Trento, via Matteo del Ben 5/b, 38068 Rovereto, Italy. francesco.pavani@unitn.it
Galfano
Giovanni
G
D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention; D001828:Body Image; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012649:Self Concept; D013028:Space Perception; D014110:Touch