Investigations on unconscious perceptual processing of multisensory simultaneity using a biological reflex index

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K03484
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 10040:Experimental psychology-related
• Research Institution: Sophia University (2023); Rikkyo University (2020-2022)
• Principal Investigator: Hidaka Souta 上智大学, 総合人間科学部, 教授 (40581161)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 寺本 渉 熊本大学, 大学院人文社会科学研究部(文), 教授 (30509089)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 複数感覚相互作用 / 反射

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, we used the unconscious response of a reflex (blinking) to investigate the temporal window in which information input from multiple senses is perceived as simultaneous. In the experiment, a reflex was used to induce blinking by blowing air into the eye of participants in a scene in which sound and light were presented simultaneously. The results show that the reflex did not occur in situations where sound and light were presented simultaneously, and suggest the possibility that the reflex may be associated with either the sound or the light by an attentional mechanism.

Free Research Field

知覚心理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究で示された知見は当初予測していた内容に反していたものの，音や光と行った複数の感覚入力が同時に提示される場面で瞬きに関する反射が形成されうるかどうかを世界に先駆けて検討したこと，複数の感覚入力に対して同時に反射が形成されずむしろどちらかの感覚入力に対してのみ反射が学習される可能性を示した点に学術的意義があると考える。