Dynamic Frequencies and Perceptual Binding in a Combined Auditory-Tactile Task

Abstract

Two experiments examined the potential effect of perceptual binding in the auditory and tactile modalities for one stimulus parameter: dynamic frequency sweeps versus static frequencies. Experiment 1 established baseline performance for identifying a single stimulus presentation. Experiment 2 examined the effects of presenting simultaneous auditory and tactile signals while attempting to focus on a single sensory channel. Experiment 1 demonstrates that identifying the frequency sweep or static signal is relatively easy in both modalities. Experiment 2 shows the unidirectional domination of auditory signals over tactile, irrespective of sensory focus modality. Overall findings and the implications for design and directions for future research are discussed.

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