Abstract
Two experiments were performed to assess the similarity of tactile form perception and visual form perception under conditions of extreme visual blurring. In the first experiment, resolution and relative localization tasks were performed by five subjects under both tactile and blurred visual presentation. The results obtained here were the same for the two modalities. In the second experiment, all 26 block letters were presented to each of four subjects in two distinct methods of presentation, using both tactile and blurred visual displays. In one method, the full-field letter was flashed for 1.0 sec; in the other, a vertical slit scanned the letter from left to right. For all method comparisons, a strong similarity was found between the patterns of correct responses as a function of letter. In addition, there was a definite similarity between the two modalities in terms of which letters improved in recognizability in the change from the full-field to the slit mode of presentation. However, the overall superiority of the slit method found for tactile recognition was not obtained visually. The two experiments indicate that recognition with blurred vision is similar to recognition using the intact cutaneous sense, although some differences remain.
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The paper is based in part on a thesis submitted by the senior author in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the MA degree at San Francisco State University. The work was supported by Department of Health, Education and Welfare Grant 14-P-55282/9 from the Social and Rehabilitation Services, NIH General Research Support Grant 5S01RR05566, and the Smith-Kettlewell Eye Research Foundation.
These results we reported at the annual meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology held at Sarasota, Florida, in May 1975.
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Apkarian-Stielau, P., Loomis, J.M. A comparison of tactile and blurred visual form perception. Perception & Psychophysics 18, 362–368 (1975). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03211213
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03211213