Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

We investigated the covert reflexive (exogenous) orienting of tactile spatial attention. Participants made speeded discrimination responses (up vs down) to a series of tactile targets presented randomly to the index finger or thumb of either hand. These targets were preceded at a variable stimulus onset asynchrony (200, 300, or 400 ms) by a spatially nonpredictive tactile cue (presented to both finger and thumb of one or other hand) on either the same or opposite side as the target. Tactile elevation discrimination responses were more rapid and accurate when the cue and target appeared on the same side than when they appeared on opposite sides. Our results provide the first direct empirical evidence that tactile spatial attention can be reflexively directed toward peripheral tactile cues leading to the facilitation of subsequent responses to stimuli presented at that body site.

Original publication

DOI

10.1007/s002210100883

Type

Journal article

Journal

Exp Brain Res

Publication Date

12/2001

Volume

141

Pages

324 - 330

Keywords

Adult, Analysis of Variance, Attention, Cues, Discrimination (Psychology), Eye Movements, Female, Humans, Male, Orientation, Random Allocation, Reaction Time, Reflex, Space Perception, Touch