Tactile point identification

Abstract

The ability to identify spatially tactile point stimuli was examined, under simultaneous or sequential presentation, using a 3×3 matrix of vibrotactile stimulators placed against the abdomen. The first experiment showed that the performance of tactile point identification deteriorated with the increase of the number of tactile point stimuli, especially under the simultaneous presentation. The obtained memory span was about two stimulus positions in the simultaneous presentation and about 4. 5 in the sequential presentation. In the second experiment, a tactile version of the Hogben-Di Lollo paradigm (1974) was employed to investigate processing rate of tactile point identification. The ability in identifying the missing tactile stimulus position was found to be an increasing function of SOA, reaching asymptote at about 600 ms SOA. A subsidiary task of counting backwards by threes made performance poorer. The analysis of errors indicated the existence of a short-term tactile memory. © 1986, The Japanese Psychological Association. All rights reserved.