title: Visual experience facilitates allocentric spatial representation.
abstract: Representing the position of the objects independently from our own position is a fundamental cognitive ability. Here we investigated whether this ability depends on visual experience. Congenitally blind, late blind and blindfolded sighted participants haptically learnt a room-sized regularly shaped array of objects, and their spatial memory was tested to determine which spatial reference frame was used. Crucially, the use of an object-based reference frame requires representing the regular structure of the array. We found that blindfolded sighted and late blind participants, that is those with visual experience, showed a preferential use of the object-based or 'allocentric' reference frame. On the contrary, congenitally blind participants preferred a self-based, or egocentric, reference frame. This suggests that, due to its developmental effect on the multisensory brain areas involved in spatial cognition, visual experience is necessary to develop a preference for an object-based, allocentric reference frame.
authors.affiliation: Biological and Experimental Psychology Group, School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, UK. Electronic address: a.pasqualotto@qmul.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Achille
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pasqualotto
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, University of East London, UK.
authors.forename: Mary Jane
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Spiller
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, University of East London, UK.
authors.forename: Ashok S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Jansari
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Bath, UK. Electronic address: m.j.proulx@bath.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Proulx
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001766:Blindness / Q000523:psychology; D003463:Cues; D005106:Exploratory Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009949:Orientation / Q000502:physiology; D011434:Proprioception / Q000502:physiology; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D021641:Recognition, Psychology; D013028:Space Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D014584:User-Computer Interface; D014724:Vestibular Function Tests; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult