Abstract
Visual remapping of touch (VRT) is a phenomenon in which seeing a human face being touched enhances detection of tactile stimuli on the observer's own face, especially when the observed face expresses fear. This study tested whether VRT would occur when seeing touch on monkey faces and whether it would be similarly modulated by facial expressions. Human participants detected near-threshold tactile stimulation on their own cheeks while watching fearful, happy, and neutral human or monkey faces being concurrently touched or merely approached by fingers. We predicted minimal VRT for neutral and happy monkey faces but greater VRT for fearful monkey faces. The results with human faces replicated previous findings, demonstrating stronger VRT for fearful expressions than for happy or neutral expressions. However, there was no VRT (i.e. no difference between accuracy in touch and no-touch trials) for any of the monkey faces, regardless of facial expression, suggesting that touch on a non-human face is not remapped onto the somatosensory system of the human observer.
Highlights
A substantial amount of research has focused on the way that the human brain recognizes emotions from the facial expressions of other humans
One way in which facial expressions may be recognized is through simulation of the expression in the somatosensory system of the observer, an idea supported by evidence that both actual [1,2,3] and virtual [4] lesions of the somatosensory cortex disrupt recognition of emotional facial expressions
One way to investigate this question would be to test whether the sight of touch on emotional, non-human faces modulates tactile perception, which would suggest that nonhuman facial expressions are likewise processed in the somatosensory system of the human observer
Summary
A substantial amount of research has focused on the way that the human brain recognizes emotions from the facial expressions of other humans (see [1] for a review). One way in which facial expressions may be recognized is through simulation of the expression in the somatosensory system of the observer, an idea supported by evidence that both actual [1,2,3] and virtual [4] lesions of the somatosensory cortex disrupt recognition of emotional facial expressions. This embodied simulation mechanism would aid emotion recognition by allowing a direct experience of the other’s mental state. One way to investigate this question would be to test whether the sight of touch on emotional, non-human faces modulates tactile perception, which would suggest that nonhuman facial expressions are likewise processed in the somatosensory system of the human observer
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
