Proprioceptive influences on auditory and visual spatial localization. 1985

J R Lackner, and B Shenker

We evaluated the influence of proprioceptive information about arm position on the perceptual localization of auditory and visual targets attached to the hand. Our approach was to distort the perceived position of the restrained arm by means of mechanical vibration of the biceps brachii muscle; such vibration elicits compelling apparent extension of the stationary forearm (Goodwin, G. M., D. I. McCloskey, and P. B. C. Matthews (1972) Science 175: 1382-1384, Brain 95: 705-748), and subjects report changes in the apparent directions of the auditory and visual targets attached to their hand. These changes are in the same direction and plane as apparent arm motion and their onsets are coincident with or lag slightly behind the experienced displacement of the arm. While visual motion is being experienced, a subject's eyes remain steadily fixating the target light. The pattern of findings demonstrates that proprioceptive information about limb position can influence the central representation of gaze and auditory localization can be similarly influenced. The biasing of auditory localization indicates that identical patterns of arrival time and intensity cues at the two ears can give rise to the perception of sounds in widely disparate spatial positions in relation to the head and body, depending on the proprioceptive representation of the direction of the sound source.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D009039 Motion Perception The real or apparent movement of objects through the visual field. Movement Perception,Perception, Motion,Perception, Movement
D011434 Proprioception Sensory functions that transduce stimuli received by proprioceptive receptors in joints, tendons, muscles, and the INNER EAR into neural impulses to be transmitted to the CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM. Proprioception provides sense of stationary positions and movements of one's body parts, and is important in maintaining KINESTHESIA and POSTURAL BALANCE. Labyrinthine Sense,Position Sense,Posture Sense,Sense of Equilibrium,Vestibular Sense,Sense of Position,Equilibrium Sense,Sense, Labyrinthine,Sense, Position,Sense, Posture,Sense, Vestibular
D011930 Reaction Time The time from the onset of a stimulus until a response is observed. Response Latency,Response Speed,Response Time,Latency, Response,Reaction Times,Response Latencies,Response Times,Speed, Response,Speeds, Response
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000293 Adolescent A person 13 to 18 years of age. Adolescence,Youth,Adolescents,Adolescents, Female,Adolescents, Male,Teenagers,Teens,Adolescent, Female,Adolescent, Male,Female Adolescent,Female Adolescents,Male Adolescent,Male Adolescents,Teen,Teenager,Youths
D000328 Adult A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available. Adults
D001132 Arm The superior part of the upper extremity between the SHOULDER and the ELBOW. Brachium,Upper Arm,Arm, Upper,Arms,Arms, Upper,Brachiums,Upper Arms
D001307 Auditory Perception The process whereby auditory stimuli are selected, organized, and interpreted by the organism. Auditory Processing,Perception, Auditory,Processing, Auditory
D013028 Space Perception The awareness of the spatial properties of objects; includes physical space. Perception, Space,Perceptions, Space,Space Perceptions
D014732 Vibration A continuing periodic change in displacement with respect to a fixed reference. (McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 6th ed) Vibrations

Related Publications

J R Lackner, and B Shenker
February 2009, Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences,
J R Lackner, and B Shenker
December 2019, Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism Research,
J R Lackner, and B Shenker
January 2022, Frontiers in aging neuroscience,
J R Lackner, and B Shenker
July 2003, Journal of the Optical Society of America. A, Optics, image science, and vision,
J R Lackner, and B Shenker
January 2005, Memory & cognition,
J R Lackner, and B Shenker
January 1990, Language and speech,
J R Lackner, and B Shenker
December 2009, Hearing research,
Copied contents to your clipboard!