Abstract
In three experiments, subjects were required to make texture judgments about abrasive surfaces. Touch and vision provided comparable levels of performance when observers attempted to select the smoothest of three surfaces, but bimodal visual and tactual input led to greater accuracy. The superiority of bimodal perception was ascribed to visual guidance of tactual exploration. The elimination of visual texture cues did not impair bimodal performance if vision of hand movements were permitted. It is suggested that touch may preempt vision when both sources of texture information are simultaneously available. The results support the notion that perception is normally multimodal, since restriction of the observer to either sense in isolation produces lower levels of performance.
Reference Note
Lederman, S. J., & Abbott, S. G.Texture perception: Studies of intersensory organization using a discrepancy paradigm, and visual vs. tactual psychophysics. Paper presented at the meetings of the Psychonomic Society, St. Louis, Missouri, November 1980.
References
Bjorkman, M. Relations between intra-modal and cross-modal matching.Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 1967,8, 65–76.
Diderot, D. Letter on the blind. In M. Jourdain (Ed. & trans.),Diderot’s early philosophical works. New York: Burt Franklin, 1972. (Originally published, 1749.)
Fishkin, S. M., Pishkin, V., &Stahl, M. L. Factors involved in visual capture.Perceptual and Motor Skills, 1975,40, 427–434.
Fraser, A. B. The psychological foundation of natural realism.American Journal of Psychology, 1891,4, 429–450.
Freides, D. Human information processing and sensory modality: Cross-modal functions, information complexity, memory, and deficit.Psychological Bulletin, 1974,81, 284–310.
Gibson, J. J. Observations on active touch.Psychological Review, 1962,69, 477–491.
Gibson, J. J. The useful dimensions of sensitivity.American Psychologist, 1963,18, 1–15.
Gibson, J. J.The senses considered as perceptual systems. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1966.
Gibson, J. J.The ecological approach to visual perception. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1979.
Kaufman, L.Sight and mind. New York: Oxford University Press, 1974.
Lederman, S. J. Auditory texture perception.Perception, 1979,8, 93–103.
Lederman, S. J., &.Abbott, S. G. Texture perception: Studies of intersensory organization using a discrepancy paradigm and visual vs. tactual psychophysics.Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 1981,7, 902–915.
Lee, D. N. The functions of vision. In H. L. Pick & E. Saltzman (Eds.),Modes of perceiving and processing information. Hillsdale, N.J: Erlbaum, 1978.
Mommers, M. J. C. Braille reading: Effects of different: hand and finger usage.Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness, 1980,74, 338–343.
Neisser, U.Cognition and reality. San Francisco: Freeman, 1976.
Reid, T. Inquiry into the human mind. In Sir William Hamilton (Annotator),Thomas Reid: Philosophical works (Vol. l). Hildesheim, Germany: George Olms, 1967. (Originally published, 1764.)
Rock, I., &Victor, J. Vision and touch: An experimentally created conflict between the two senses.Science, 1964,143, 594–596.
Rudel, R. G., &Teuber, H.-L. Crossmodal transfer of shape discrimination by children.Neuropsychologia, 1964,2, 1–8.
Smith, J. M. The sensory functions of the non-preferred hand.Journal of Experimental Psychology, 1934,17, 154–159.
Stevens, S. S., &Harris, J. R. The scaling of subjective roughness and smoothness.Journal of Experimental Psychology, 1962,64, 489–494.
Taylor, M. M., Lederman, S. J., &Gibson, R. H. Tactual perception of texture. In E. C. Carterette & M. P. Friedman (Eds.),Handbook of perception (Vol. 3):Biology of perceptual systems. New York: Academic Press, 1974.
von Fieandt, K. Toward a unitary theory of perception.Psychological Review, 1958,65, 315–320.
Walker, J. T. Successive contrast: A tactual after-effect.American Journal of Psychology, 1966,79, 328–329.
Welch, R. B., &Warren, D. H. Immediate perceptual response to intersensory discrepancy.Psychological Bulletin, 1980,118, 638–667.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Heller, M.A. Visual and tactual texture perception: Intersensory cooperation. Perception & Psychophysics 31, 339–344 (1982). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03202657
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03202657
Keywords
- Prefer Hand
- Visual Texture
- Abrasive Surface
- Bimodal Condition
- Texture Perception