Crossmodal adaptation aftereffects following observation of human hand actions

TY - GEN

T1 - Crossmodal adaptation aftereffects following observation of human hand actions

AU - Page, Stephen

AU - Barraclough, Nick

PY - 2012

Y1 - 2012

N2 - Repeated exposure (adaptation) to visual actions can induce adaptation aftereffects biasing subsequent perception of visual actions [Barraclough et al, 2009, Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 21, 1805-1819]. Crossmodal aftereffects have been observed to more simple stimuli, for example adaptation to visual motion in depth causes auditory loudness aftereffects [Kitagawa and Ichihara, 2002, Nature, 416, 172-174]. In order to investigate multimodal action coding, we tested whether action sound perception was influenced by prior adaptation to different stimuli (auditory only, visual only, or audiovisual representations of actions). After adapting to auditory action sounds (hand knocking and hand slapping), subsequent test stimuli (blended ‘knock’ and ‘slap’ sounds) sounded less like the adapting stimulus, a repulsive auditory aftereffect. This auditory aftereffect showed a characteristic increase with repetition of the adapting stimulus. We also observed significant crossmodal aftereffects following audiovisual and visual only adaptation. These high-level crossmodal aftereffects suggest multimodal coding of actions in humans, and may result from adaptation in multimodal neurons selective for actions as have been found in the monkey [Barraclough et al, 2005, Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 17, 377-391].

AB - Repeated exposure (adaptation) to visual actions can induce adaptation aftereffects biasing subsequent perception of visual actions [Barraclough et al, 2009, Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 21, 1805-1819]. Crossmodal aftereffects have been observed to more simple stimuli, for example adaptation to visual motion in depth causes auditory loudness aftereffects [Kitagawa and Ichihara, 2002, Nature, 416, 172-174]. In order to investigate multimodal action coding, we tested whether action sound perception was influenced by prior adaptation to different stimuli (auditory only, visual only, or audiovisual representations of actions). After adapting to auditory action sounds (hand knocking and hand slapping), subsequent test stimuli (blended ‘knock’ and ‘slap’ sounds) sounded less like the adapting stimulus, a repulsive auditory aftereffect. This auditory aftereffect showed a characteristic increase with repetition of the adapting stimulus. We also observed significant crossmodal aftereffects following audiovisual and visual only adaptation. These high-level crossmodal aftereffects suggest multimodal coding of actions in humans, and may result from adaptation in multimodal neurons selective for actions as have been found in the monkey [Barraclough et al, 2005, Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 17, 377-391].

U2 - 10.1068/v120321

DO - 10.1068/v120321

M3 - Conference contribution

VL - 41

SP - 180

BT - Perception

PB - PION

ER -