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Utilizing the ventriloquism-effect to investigate audio-visual binding.

M Bischoff·B Walter·C R Blecker·K Morgen·D Vaitl·G Sammer
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Abstract

Audio-visual binding - as subset of crossmodal integration - describes the combination of information across both these senses to the subjective unified perception of a bound object. We investigated audio-visual binding by using the ventriloquism-effect (localization of a sound is biased towards and by a simultaneous visual stimulus) to act as an indicator for perceived binding. Simple visual and auditory stimuli were presented synchronously or asynchronously. fMRI was recorded during task performance (n = 19 subjects) in order to reveal activation in areas discussed to be involved in multisensory processing in the literature. Contrasting trials with reported ventriloquism-effect versus the no-binding condition revealed activation in the insula, superior temporal sulcus and parieto-occipital sulcus. Implementing the ventriloquism-effect allows us to relate these activations to consciousness-related processes, which probably are different from stimulus-driven multisensory integration in subcortical areas.

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Acoustic StimulationAdultAnalysis of VarianceAuditory PerceptionBiasBrain MappingFemaleHumansImage Processing, Computer-AssistedMagnetic Resonance ImagingMaleOxygenPhotic StimulationReaction TimeTime FactorsVisual PerceptionJournal ArticleResearch Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

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M Bischoff, B Walter, C R Blecker, K Morgen, D Vaitl, G Sammer. 2006-04-19. Utilizing the ventriloquism-effect to investigate audio-visual binding.. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2006.03.008

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