Benefits of Stimulus Congruency for Multisensory Facilitation of Visual Learning

Robyn S Kim,Aaron R Seitz,Ladan Shams,Michael Herzog

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0001532

Robyn S Kim, Aaron R Seitz + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0001532

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Journal: PloS one	Publication Date: Jan 30, 2008
Citations: 156	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: University of California, Los Angeles, Boston University

Abstract

BackgroundStudies of perceptual learning have largely focused on unisensory stimuli. However, multisensory interactions are ubiquitous in perception, even at early processing stages, and thus can potentially play a role in learning. Here, we examine the effect of auditory-visual congruency on visual learning.Methodology/Principle FindingsSubjects were trained over five days on a visual motion coherence detection task with either congruent audiovisual, or incongruent audiovisual stimuli. Comparing performance on visual-only trials, we find that training with congruent audiovisual stimuli produces significantly better learning than training with incongruent audiovisual stimuli or with only visual stimuli.Conclusions/SignificanceThis advantage from stimulus congruency during training suggests that the benefits of multisensory training may result from audiovisual interactions at a perceptual rather than cognitive level.

Highlights

Perceptual learning has been the subject of extensive study in recent years
Most studies of perceptual learning have focused on the learning of sensory features with a single modality
It is likely that crossmodal interactions can mediate perceptual learning in the mature brain as well

Summary

Introduction

Perceptual learning has been the subject of extensive study in recent years. This type of learning is interesting because it seems to demonstrate a surprising degree of cortical plasticity even in adult primary visual [1,2], auditory [3] and somotosensory areas [4]. Multisensory interactions are ubiquitous in perception, even at early processing stages, and can potentially play a role in learning. This advantage from stimulus congruency during training suggests that the benefits of multisensory training may result from audiovisual interactions at a perceptual rather than cognitive level

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Results

Conclusion