Abstract
Current accounts of spatial cognition and human-object interaction suggest that the representation of peripersonal space depends on an action-specific system that remaps its representation according to action requirements. Here we demonstrate that this mechanism is sensitive to knowledge about properties of objects. In two experiments we explored the interaction between physical distance and object attributes (functionality, desirability, graspability, etc.) through a reaching estimation task in which participants indicated if objects were near enough to be reached. Using both a real and a cutting-edge digital scenario, we demonstrate that perceived reaching distance is influenced by ease of grasp and the affective valence of an object. Objects with a positive affective valence tend to be perceived reachable at locations at which neutral or negative objects are perceived as non-reachable. In addition to this, reaction time to distant (non-reachable) positive objects suggests a bias to perceive positive objects as closer than negative and neutral objects (exp. 2). These results highlight the importance of the affective valence of objects in the action-specific mapping of the peripersonal/extrapersonal space system.
Highlights
One of the major goals of psychology is the understanding of human-object interactions
Objects were placed at the edge of a white card and the experimenter slowly slid each object toward the participant
An initial one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) of misestimate ratios (MR) for all 7 objects showed a marginal trend, F(6, 234) = 2.054, p = .061, g2p = .050. Participants overestimated their reaching distance to all objects
Summary
One of the major goals of psychology is the understanding of human-object interactions. In our daily lives we manipulate and interact efficiently with a multitude of objects around us. Your brain estimates the distance, size, shape, and weight of the object and combines this information with postural information from your body to organize the movements to reach that object. The person who asked knew that the object was within your reaching distance and that it may be easy for you to grasp. How does the brain combine visuospatial and proprioceptive information in order to execute our own actions and predict the actions of others? Do we have a specialized unitary system to store and organize body-object interactions in physical space? What are the neurological, environmental and psychological variables that modulate this system? How does the brain combine visuospatial and proprioceptive information in order to execute our own actions and predict the actions of others? Do we have a specialized unitary system to store and organize body-object interactions in physical space? If so, what are the neurological, environmental and psychological variables that modulate this system?
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