title: Causal Inference in Multisensory Heading Estimation.
abstract: A large body of research shows that the Central Nervous System (CNS) integrates multisensory information. However, this strategy should only apply to multisensory signals that have a common cause; independent signals should be segregated. Causal Inference (CI) models account for this notion. Surprisingly, previous findings suggested that visual and inertial cues on heading of self-motion are integrated regardless of discrepancy. We hypothesized that CI does occur, but that characteristics of the motion profiles affect multisensory processing. Participants estimated heading of visual-inertial motion stimuli with several different motion profiles and a range of intersensory discrepancies. The results support the hypothesis that judgments of signal causality are included in the heading estimation process. Moreover, the data suggest a decreasing tolerance for discrepancies and an increasing reliance on visual cues for longer duration motions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Perception, Cognition, and Action, Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Tübingen, Baden-Württemburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Ksander N
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0534-2723
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: de Winkel
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Perception, Cognition, and Action, Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Tübingen, Baden-Württemburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Mikhail
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Katliar
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Perception, Cognition, and Action, Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Tübingen, Baden-Württemburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Heinrich H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Bülthoff
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000465:Algorithms; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008959:Models, Neurological; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D014796:Visual Perception; D055815:Young Adult