The multisensory body revealed through its cast shadows
One key issue when conceiving the body as a multisensory object is how the cognitive system integrates visible instances of the self and other bodies with one’s own somatosensory processing, to achieve self-recognition and body ownership. Recent research has strongly suggested that shadows cast by o...
Main Authors: | , |
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Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2015-05-01
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Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.00666/full |
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author | Francesco ePavani Francesco ePavani Giovanni eGalfano Giovanni eGalfano |
author_facet | Francesco ePavani Francesco ePavani Giovanni eGalfano Giovanni eGalfano |
author_sort | Francesco ePavani |
collection | DOAJ |
description | One key issue when conceiving the body as a multisensory object is how the cognitive system integrates visible instances of the self and other bodies with one’s own somatosensory processing, to achieve self-recognition and body ownership. Recent research has strongly suggested that shadows cast by our own body have a special status for cognitive processing, directing attention to the body in a fast and highly specific manner. The aim of the present article is to review the most recent scientific contributions addressing how body shadows affect both sensory/perceptual and attentional processes. The review examines three main points: (1) body shadows as a special window to investigate the construction of multisensory body perception; (2) experimental paradigms and related findings; (3) open questions and future trajectories. The reviewed literature suggests that shadows cast by one’s own body promote binding between personal and extrapersonal space and elicit automatic orienting of attention toward the body-part casting the shadow. Future research should address whether the effects exerted by body shadows are similar to those observed when observers are exposed to other visual instances of their body. The results will further clarify the processes underlying the merging of vision and somatosensation when creating body representations. |
first_indexed | 2024-04-12T23:31:23Z |
format | Article |
id | doaj.art-37ffdaec4ea24685a3e754c4d3908ab3 |
institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
issn | 1664-1078 |
language | English |
last_indexed | 2024-04-12T23:31:23Z |
publishDate | 2015-05-01 |
publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
record_format | Article |
series | Frontiers in Psychology |
spelling | doaj.art-37ffdaec4ea24685a3e754c4d3908ab32022-12-22T03:12:16ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782015-05-01610.3389/fpsyg.2015.00666118147The multisensory body revealed through its cast shadowsFrancesco ePavani0Francesco ePavani1Giovanni eGalfano2Giovanni eGalfano3Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of TrentoDepartment of Psychology and Cognitive Science, University of TrentoDepartment of Developmental and Social Psychology, University of PadovaCenter for Cognitive Neuroscience, University of PadovaOne key issue when conceiving the body as a multisensory object is how the cognitive system integrates visible instances of the self and other bodies with one’s own somatosensory processing, to achieve self-recognition and body ownership. Recent research has strongly suggested that shadows cast by our own body have a special status for cognitive processing, directing attention to the body in a fast and highly specific manner. The aim of the present article is to review the most recent scientific contributions addressing how body shadows affect both sensory/perceptual and attentional processes. The review examines three main points: (1) body shadows as a special window to investigate the construction of multisensory body perception; (2) experimental paradigms and related findings; (3) open questions and future trajectories. The reviewed literature suggests that shadows cast by one’s own body promote binding between personal and extrapersonal space and elicit automatic orienting of attention toward the body-part casting the shadow. Future research should address whether the effects exerted by body shadows are similar to those observed when observers are exposed to other visual instances of their body. The results will further clarify the processes underlying the merging of vision and somatosensation when creating body representations.http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.00666/fullTouchmultisensoryVisionspatial attentionBody perceptionSelf-recognition |
spellingShingle | Francesco ePavani Francesco ePavani Giovanni eGalfano Giovanni eGalfano The multisensory body revealed through its cast shadows Frontiers in Psychology Touch multisensory Vision spatial attention Body perception Self-recognition |
title | The multisensory body revealed through its cast shadows |
title_full | The multisensory body revealed through its cast shadows |
title_fullStr | The multisensory body revealed through its cast shadows |
title_full_unstemmed | The multisensory body revealed through its cast shadows |
title_short | The multisensory body revealed through its cast shadows |
title_sort | multisensory body revealed through its cast shadows |
topic | Touch multisensory Vision spatial attention Body perception Self-recognition |
url | http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.00666/full |
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