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Journal Article

Citation

Wen W, Shimazaki N, Ohata R, Yamashita A, Asama H, Imamizu H. eNeuro 2020; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, Society for Neuroscience)

DOI

10.1523/ENEURO.0258-20.2020

PMID

32917795

Abstract

The self is a distinct entity from the rest of the world, and actions and sensory feedback are our channels of interaction with the external world. This study examined how the sense of control influences people's perception of sensorimotor input under the framework of categorical perception. Twenty human participants (18 males, two females) took part in both experiments. Experiment 1 showed that the sensitivity (d') of detecting a 20% change in control from no change was higher when the changes occurred at the control-category boundary than within each category. Experiment 2 showed that the control categories greatly affected early attention allocation, even when the judgment of control was unnecessary to the task. Taken together, these results showed that our perceptual and cognitive systems are highly sensitive to small changes in control that build up to a determinant change in the control category within a relatively narrow boundary zone between categories, compared to a continuous, gradual physical change in control.Significance Statement Categorical perception is an important cognitive function that connects human low-level perceptual systems with high-level conceptual systems. Categorical perception has been intensively studied with sensory features (e.g., color and faces), but little is known about sensorimotor information, despite its importance for interacting with the external world. This is the first study to show that individuals perceive their control in meaningful categories rather than via linear encoding. The categorical perception of control diminishes sensitivity to differences within control categories, while increasing sensitivity to sensorimotor inputs at the control-category boundaries. The findings broaden our understanding on how human action influences the perception of action consequences, and how humans organize the external world according to the consequences of their actions.


Language: en

Keywords

categorical perception; consciousness; motor control; sense of agency; sensorimotor perception; signal detection theory

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