Title

Laterality, Perception, and Action during the Size-weight Illusion

Authors

Gavin Buckingham, The University of Western OntarioFollow
Nathalie S. Ranger, The University of Western Ontario
Melvyn A. Goodale, The University of Western OntarioFollow

Document Type

Presentation

Publication Date

2010

Abstract

In the classic size-weight illusion (SWI), a small object will feel heavier than an larger object of equal weight (Charpentier, 1891). Individuals continue to perceive this illusory difference in weight long after their gripping and lifting forces have scaled to the actual, identical, mass of the illusion-inducing stimuli (Flanagan & Beltzner, 2000).

The independence of our weight perception and fingertip force application has only been quantified in the right hand of right-handers. The immunity to this perceptual illusion may be affected by manual asymmetries (e.g., Gonzalez, Ganel & Goodale, 2006).

We examined perception of heaviness and fingertip force scaling in right- and left-handers during repeated lifts of SWI-inducing cubes with their dominant and non-dominant hands.

We also examined the optimal direction for intermanual transfer of the scaled fingertip forces. 

Notes

A poster presentation at the annual Society for Neuroscience Meeting held in San Diego, California in 2010