The influence of visual illusions on grasp position

Abstract

Visual size illusions have been shown to affect perceived object size but not the aperture of the hand when reaching to those same objects. Thus, vision for perception is said to be dissociated from vision for action. The present study examines the effect of visual-position and visual-shape illusions on both the visually perceived center of an object and the position of a grasp on that object when a balanced lift is required. The results for both experiments show that although the illusions influence both the perceived and the grasped estimates of the center position, the grasp position is more veridical. This partial dissociation is discussed in terms of its implications for streams of visual processing.