Eye movement signals influence perception: Evidence from the adaptation of reactive and volitional saccades

Abstract

Information about upcoming saccadic eye movements is used to orient visuo-spatial attention across the visual field. Different eye movement signals (intended or actual) could be used according to the intentionality of the saccade in preparation (Reactive or Volitional), and can be dissociated by saccadic adaptation. Gap 0 and overlap paradigms were contrasted to elicit the two saccade populations with different latencies and an asymmetric transfer of saccadic adaptation. Preparation of both saccade types caused a concomitant shift in the attentional focus (indexed by relative perceptual performance) to the actual, not intended, eye position. The attentional shift emerged progressively, earlier for V-saccades but reaching a maximal level around saccade onset for both saccade types. These results suggest that information about actual eye movements mediates the pre-saccadic shift of attention.