Walking without optic flow reduces subsequent vection

Authors

Takeharu Seno, Kyushu UniversityFollow
Stephen Palmisano, University of WollongongFollow
B Riecke, Simon Fraser University
S Nakamura, Nihon Fukushi University

RIS ID

94572

Publication Details

Seno, T., Palmisano, S., Riecke, B. E. & Nakamura, S. (2015). Walking without optic flow reduces subsequent vection. Experimental Brain Research, 233 (1), 275-281.

Abstract

This experiment investigated the effect of walking without optic flow on subsequent vection induction and strength. Two groups of participants walked for 5 min (either wearing Ganzfeld goggles or with normal vision) prior to exposure to a vection-inducing stimulus. We then measured the onset latency and strength of vection induced by a radially expanding pattern of optic flow. The results showed that walking without optic flow transiently yielded later vection onsets and reduced vection strength. We propose that walking without optic flow triggered a sensory readjustment, which reduced the ability of optic flow to induce self-motion perception.