Does Active Exploration Suppress Tactile Flow Perception?

Abstract

In this paper we report on results of a set of tests in which a group of subjects were asked to trace a straight line with the forefinger while actively scanning over a textured surface. A pattern of bumped dots, randomly distributed, and a diagonal striped pattern were used in order to investigate the occurrence of misleading perceptions based on the aperture problem of tactile flow during an active exploration. Obtained results are compared with findings achieved from a previous experiment based on passive exploration.