Graduation Term

5-29-2023

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Department of Psychology

Committee Chair

Jeffrey B Wagman

Abstract

Studies have shown that perceiving a given property of a wielded object requires task-specific sensitivity to the patterns of mechanical stimulation that support perceiving that property. The same is true for perceiving properties of the environment by means of a wielded object. Recently, studies using the Enactive Torch—a novel vibrotactile sensory-substitution device—have shown that these mechanical stimulation patterns are invariant across medium (Favela et al., 2018; 2021). The current study used a transfer of recalibration paradigm to the invariant patterns of mechanical stimulation that support perceiving surface distance by means of a wooden rod and by means of the Enactive Torch. In a pretest and posttest, participants used each of these modalities to explore an occluded surface and reported the perceived distance of that surface. In the practice session, we manipulated which modality participants used to perform this task and whether feedback about performance was provided. We found that transfer of recalibration occurred with feedback regardless of practice modality. Results are discussed in the context of the invariant stimulation patterns that support perceiving and acting.

DOI

https://doi.org/10.30707/ETD2023.20231004061828189866.999982

Page Count

43

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