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The effect of visual threat on spatial attention to touch

journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-08, 15:22 authored by Ellen Poliakoff, Eleanor MilesEleanor Miles, Xinying Li, Isabelle Blanchette
Viewing a threatening stimulus can bias visual attention toward that location. Such effects have typically been investigated only in the visual modality, despite the fact that many threatening stimuli are most dangerous when close to or in contact with the body. Recent multisensory research indicates that a neutral visual stimulus, such as a light flash, can lead to a tactile attention shift towards a nearby body part. Here, we investigated whether the threat value of a visual stimulus modulates its effect on attention to touch. Participants made speeded discrimination responses about tactile stimuli presented to one or other hand, preceded by a picture cue (snake, spider, flower or mushroom) presented close to the same or the opposite hand. Pictures of snakes led to a significantly greater tactile attentional facilitation effect than did non-threatening pictures of flowers and mushrooms. Furthermore, there was a correlation between self-reported fear of snakes and spiders and the magnitude of early facilitation following cues of that type. These findings demonstrate that the attentional bias towards threat extends to the tactile modality and indicate that perceived threat value can modulate the cross-modal effect that a visual cue has on attention to touch.

History

Publication status

  • Published

File Version

  • Published version

Journal

Cognition

ISSN

0010-0277

Publisher

Elsevier

Issue

3

Volume

102

Page range

405-414

Department affiliated with

  • Psychology Publications

Full text available

  • No

Peer reviewed?

  • Yes

Legacy Posted Date

2013-07-10

First Compliant Deposit (FCD) Date

2013-07-10

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