Intrasensory Attention: Kinaesthetic versus Cutaneous Inputs

Abstract

Blindfolded participants felt pairs of raised-line drawings simultaneously, one with each index finger. The stimuli presented at each fingertip were 180 degrees rotations of each other (eg 6 and 9). One finger moved (either actively or passively), and this in turn caused movement of a matched raised line underneath the stationary finger on the other hand, in a yoked manner. Thus, a 6 at the moving finger would be felt as a 9 on the stationary finger. On all trials there was a raised line moving underneath the stationary fully passive finger. For the moving finger, a raised line was present on only half of the trials. When a raised line could be felt at the moving fingertip, the shape followed by this finger was more often reported than was the shape present at the other (stationary) fingertip. However, when no line was present under the moving finger (ie when movement became the major cue for shape), subjects reported experiencing the shape moved under the stationary fingertip. Results are interpreted as an indication that cutaneous information can be more 'attention-getting' than kinaesthetic information, and are considered to support the modality-appropriateness theory.

Capture of kinesthesis by a competing cutaneous input

“…1). Based on the findings of Symmons et al (2007), we hypothesized that cutaneous inputs alone (i.e., those from the stationary finger) would be weighted more heavily than kinesthetic inputs alone (i.e., those from the moving finger). As such, simply moving a raised-line stimulus under a stationary finger without kinesthetic information would be enough to result in a report of that angle in preference to the rotated version of the angle experienced at the moving fingertip when this finger was deprived of cutaneous input.…”

“…In the present study are four experiments that tested the idea that the effect observed by Symmons et al (2007) is an example of sensory integration in the form of capture and, specifically, tested whether cutaneous information can dominate kinesthesis. In Experiment 1, we explored whether the effect observed by Symmons et al (2007) occurs using stimuli simpler than letters and numbers (i.e., angles, which may make it easier to attend to movement than do complex shapes), and whether the removal of cutaneous stimuli (i.e., no raised-line or shear information) from one finger matters (i.e., when self-generated movement became the major cue for shape), a condition not present in Symmons et al's (2007) experiment. From the findings of Symmons et al (2007), we hypothesized that this would result in cutaneous capture of kinesthesis.…”

“…Both hands travelled the same movement pathway over the same symmetrical stimuli, but the stimuli were 180º rotations of each other. For example, one hand explored a raised-line letter "p," while the other was presented with a "d. " Symmons et al (2007) found that explorers sometimes reported what they were feeling under one finger, while at other times they reported what was present under the other finger. That is, on occasion, kinesthesis dominated cutaneous information, while at other times the reverse occurred-cutaneous capture of kinesthesis.…”

“…In Experiment 1, we explored whether the effect observed by Symmons et al (2007) occurs using stimuli simpler than letters and numbers (i.e., angles, which may make it easier to attend to movement than do complex shapes), and whether the removal of cutaneous stimuli (i.e., no raised-line or shear information) from one finger matters (i.e., when self-generated movement became the major cue for shape), a condition not present in Symmons et al's (2007) experiment. From the findings of Symmons et al (2007), we hypothesized that this would result in cutaneous capture of kinesthesis. In Experiment 2, participants were instructed to endogenously direct attention to the kinesthetic stimulus (i.e., the sensory stimulus captured in Exp.…”

“…Previously, Symmons, Richardson, and Wuillemin (2007) used a mechanical device to simultaneously present a kinesthetic + cutaneous experience to one hand and a cutaneous-only stimulus to the other in the exploration of raised-line letter and number stimuli. Both hands travelled the same movement pathway over the same symmetrical stimuli, but the stimuli were 180º rotations of each other.…”