title: The tactile continuity illusion.
abstract: We can perceive the continuity of an object or event by integrating spatially/temporally discrete sensory inputs. The mechanism underlying this perception of continuity has intrigued many researchers and has been well documented in both the visual and auditory modalities. The present study shows for the first time to our knowledge that an illusion of continuity also occurs with vibrotactile stimulation. We found that when the brief temporal gaps inserted into a vibrotactile target were filled with vibrotactile noise, the target vibration was perceived to continue through the noise if the target vibration was sufficiently weak relative to the noise. It is important that the illusory continuity of the vibration cannot be distinguished from the physically continuous vibration. These results therefore suggest that the continuity illusion is common to multiple sensory modalities and that it reflects a fundamental principle of perception.
authors.affiliation: Perception and Emotion Research Group, NTT Communication Science Laboratories, NTT Corporation, 3-1 MorinosatoWakamiya, Atsugi, Kanagawa, 243-0198, Japan. kitagawa@avg.brl.ntt.co.jp
authors.forename: Norimichi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kitagawa
authors.forename: Yuka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Igarashi
authors.forename: Makio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kashino
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000328:Adult; D001307:Auditory Perception / Q000502:physiology; D001309:Auditory Threshold / Q000502:physiology; D004056:Differential Threshold / Q000502:physiology; D004192:Discrimination, Psychological / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007088:Illusions / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D013997:Time Factors; D055698:Touch Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D014732:Vibration; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult