To the end! Distribution of attention along a tool in peri- and extrapersonal space

Abstract

This study investigated the distribution of visual attention along a handheld tool depending on functional tool practice and its position in peripersonal or extrapersonal space. We created a tool with two functional parts placed at the tool's middle and end. Participants held the tool over a display such that functional parts were aligned with stimuli for a 50/50, go/no-go, target detection task. In Experiment 1, two groups with no prior tool experience performed the task either in peripersonal (near the body; tool held hori- zontally) or extrapersonal space (beyond arms' reach; tool held straight). Faster response times (RTs) were found for targets at the tool's end and for the peripersonal space group. In Experiment 2, participants used the tool's mid- dle part in a hockey-like game prior to the task to assess functional practice effects. Again, faster RTs were found for targets at the tool's end and in peripersonal space. However, a tool part × space interaction suggested that mid-tool prac- tice reduced performance differences between tool parts but only in peripersonal space. Experiment 3 confirmed the interaction effect when mid-tool practice was constrained to only extrapersonal space. Results suggest that visual atten- tion is naturally drawn to the tool's end but that functional tool use can redistribute attention when positioned in perip- ersonal space. In extrapersonal space, no change was found