Blind Perception

Presented by: Adit Gupta Sumit Deshmukh Anuj Topiwalla

SUMIT DESHMUKH 10001015 HS 305

Blind Perception ABSTRACT:

For researchers, the subject of blind perception has always been a difficult issue to deal with mainly due to the inherent challenges involved in studying and understanding the issue. Thats why; it is an interesting topic to explore in more detail in view of its close association with the perception and psychology. In the presentation, we have tried to examine the validity of some of the frequently made claims pertaining to blind subjects. We then review the hypotheses put forth, related to the cognitive functioning in blind subjects. We also attempt to investigate the correlation between visual imagery and visual perception and discuss Bertolos claims in view of the dreaming experience of blind subjects.

FACTS AND MYTHS:

Human beings obtain external information using their sensory inputs which is then processes and integrated to form a cognitive image, what we commonly call as perceiving an object. Traditionally five sensations1 - Sight (ophthalmoception), hearing (audioception), taste (gustaoception), smell (olfacoception or olfacception), and touch (tactioception) recognized which are used to as sensory inputs for outside information. Since visually impaired subjects are incapable of obtaining information through their visual senses, it is a widely held belief that their other senses such as auditory, tactile, etc. are better than those of sighted subjects so as to compensate for the lack of vision. But various studies conducted by researchers have proved that this is not really the case. At most it can be said that visually impaired individuals learn to use their other senses effectively over the period of time. To say that visually impaired subjects have inherent or evolutionary extra-sensory perception would be premature. A study conducted by Schween, Hundorf, Moll, Pitz and Mann (2002)2 revealed that although blind subjects thought themselves to be better at smelling essentially there is no differences between the two groups. Another independent study conducted by Rosenbluth, Grossman and Kaitz (2000)3 tested blind and sighted children to compare the threshold at which each group could identify smells. The study found no notable difference in ability to smell as such but noted that the blind subjects labelled the variety of smells thereby meaning that they possibly have more attention-ability than sighted subjects. In a separate study conducted by the Montreal Neurological Institute, which tested auditory ability of blind and sighted subjects, differences were found out found between the two.

1 2

Wikipedia How Does Becoming Blind Affect Other Senses/ Schween, Hundorf, Moll, Pitz and Mann (2002) 3 Performance of early-blind and sighted children on olfactory tasks/ Rosenbluth, Grossman and Kaitz (2000)

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Accounting for the fact that the age at which the visually impaired subjects lost their vision, it was noticed that the those who became blind at or before the age of 5 scored highest whereas those who became blind after the age of 10 showed little difference in their auditory abilities as compared to sighted subjects. It suggests that blind individuals learn to listen and analyse sound more attentively and efficiently. (See the fig Echolocation4)

Morrongiello5 study in 1994 attempted to test the tactile sensation of blind subjects as compared to sighted subjects by asking them to identify small and large scale objects. It was found out that although the tactile sensory inputs do not differ, blind individuals have better methodology or strategies to utilize their tactile abilities more effectively.

COGNITIVE FUNCTIONING IN BLIND:

In this part, we discuss the cognitive patterning in congenitally blind subjects. Herman A. Witkin, Judith Birnbaum, Salvatore Lomonaco, Suzanne Lehr and Judith L. Herman6 hypothesise that the blind people are more global in their perception than articulate and have less differentiated cognitive functioning. Visual articulation is the ability to recognize objects discretely with boundaries and limits and also to realize that those discrete subparts form a whole structure rather than understanding as a different entity. To support the hypothesis we check the experimental study conducted on the congenitally blind subjects. In the experimental analysis, a group of congenitally blind children and another of sighted children are asked to perform several tasks based on which their articulation abilities are tested. Embedded Figure Test: In this test the subject is asked to describe a complex figure followed by a simple figure using tactile sensations. Then the simple figure is embedded in the complex figure and the subject is asked to find it in a given time.

Blind subjects frequently use the technique of echolocation to locate an object by forming an acoustic image of the perceived object. 5 Morrongiello, B. A., Humphrey, G. K., Timney, B., Choi, J., & Rocca, P. T. (1994). Tactual object exploration and recognition in blind and sighted children., Perception, 23(7), 833-48. 6 Cognitive Patterning in Congenitally Totally Blind Children/ Herman A. Witkin, Judith Birnbaum, Salvatore Lomonaco, Suzanne Lehr and Judith L. Herman/ Child Development , Vol. 39, No. 3 (Sep., 1968), pp. 767-786

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Tactile Block Design Test: In this test the subject is given structure of four cubes with each pair of sides textured differently and are asked to replicate the reference design by arrangement of the blocks in a given time.

To test blind subjects understanding of the concept of experienced objects, following tests are performed. Clay Modelling Test: In this test, the blind subject is supposed to make the clay model of entire human body which is tested on a scale of 1-5 based on its accuracy and sophistication. Auditory Embedded Figure Test: This test includes playing a simple note tune followed by a complex tune which may or may not include the simple tune being played earlier. The task is to determine and detect the simple tune.

Results of these tests showed that except Auditory Embedded Figure Test, sighted subjects performed better than blind subjects in all the tests. This implies that except auditory articulation, blinds have less developed articulation ability than sighted thereby meaning that their ability to understand the subparts as a part of a bigger field or a structure is not enhanced. Favourable results in auditory test imply that blinds have better level of attention than sighted. Better auditory articulation can be attributed the development of their most reliable senses (Hearing as in the case of blinds) rather than extra-sensory perception.

VISUAL IMAGERY AND VISUAL PERCEPTION:

Traditionally researchers have believed that the visual perception is a prerequisite to form visual imagery i.e. it is not possible to form a visual image of an object without perceiving it by means of visual system. Hence, the well-established belief is that since congenitally blind people, due to their inability to visually perceive, are not capable of forming visual images. Helder Brtolo7 in his paper questions this belief and argues that, with the aid of experimental analysis of dreaming experience of congenitally blind subjects, it is indeed possible to form visual images without perception. Further he says that this would allow us to conclude that visual imagery essentially emerges from activation of visual cortex by nonvisual inputs. In his experimental setup, a group of congenitally blind and another of sighted subjects undergo through serial awakenings followed by dream recall during which alpha activity is measured using EEG. Then both groups are asked to draw the graphical representation of the oneiric scene and a human figure. They are evaluated using Quoc Vu test and the Goodenough scale which measures different criteria such as detailing level, relative dimensions, presence or absence of an object, etc.

Helder Brtolo/Faculade de Medicina de Lisboa/ Portugal)/Visual imagery without visual perception

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Bertolo observes that statistically there is no difference in equivalent scores of congenitally blind and sighted subjects. Also the correlation between alpha activity and the visual content is negative implying there is an alpha attenuation during dream recall. The observation of alpha attenuation/visual content correlation along with the no differences in the graphical representations leads us to hypothesize that blind subjects can produce virtual images, that is, that their dreams correspond to the activation of visual cortical regions. This implies that the born-blind subjects are capable of using other sensory modalities to integrate these inputs via the visual system to produce concepts capable of graphical representation.

Kerr and Domhoff8 in their paper attempt to refute Bertolos argument. Their critical evaluation of Bertolos hypothesis can be summarised as follows: They argue that researchers cite that though the waking imagery of congenitally blind subjects is functionally equivalent to that of sighted it, however, lacks the uniquely visual characteristics such as colour and brightness and result in slight differences from the performance of sighted individuals on several imagery tasks. Bertolos attribution of accuracy of drawings drawn by blind to the visual imagery is a wrong interpretation of Kennedys findings. Kennedy, in fact attributes it to the overlap in information obtained through visual and tactile perceptual system. According to him, vision and touch are both processed in an area of the brain that encodes and integrates the common elements of information which can be called as multimodal or amodal due to its functioning. Further, the context of the term visual in Bertolos findings is not clear since blind frequently make use of the phrases such seeing, keeping an eye, etc. metaphorically. Hence, it is difficult to speculate about why visual words were most closely associated with attenuation of alpha activity. Dream reports of individuals who are visually impaired from birth but who retain some ability to see visual characteristics such as brightness and colour do not have this potential confusion and they are able to match waking visual experience to dreaming visual experience. They can see things in dreams with same level of clarity or detail as they could see in waking experience. But they know the details of the dream environment through the integration of information from other sensory inputs.

Kerr, N., & Domhoff, G. W. (2004)/Do the blind literally "see" in their dreams? A critique of a recent claim that they do/Dreaming, 14, 230-233

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Thus, Kerr and Domhoff conclude that uniquely visual imagery is dependent on uniquely visual experience.

SUMMARY:
Visually impaired individuals do not possess extra-sensory perceiving ability to compensate for the lack of vision although they learn to use their other sensory abilities more effectively and efficiently through experience. Congenitally blind subjects have less-enhanced articulation ability although they have better level of attention than sighted individuals. Helder Bertolos finding that visual perception is not necessary to form visual imagery and congenitally blind subjects indeed form visual images is a major departure from traditional belief. His inference is strongly refuted by Kerr and Domhoff who argue that Bertolos interpretations are premature and based on limited data and hence cant be confirmed.

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Blind Perception REFERENCE:

How Does Becoming Blind Affect Other Senses/ Schween, Hundorf, Moll, Pitz and Mann (2002) Performance of early-blind and sighted children on olfactory tasks/ Rosenbluth, Grossman and Kaitz (2000) Tactual object exploration and recognition in blind and sighted children, Perception/ Morrongiello, B. A., Humphrey, G. K., Timney, B., Choi, J., & Rocca, P. T. (1994). 23(7), 833-48. Image Courtesy - Like a Bat, Blind Man Uses Sound to 'See, ABC news website Cognitive Patterning in Congenitally Totally Blind Children/ Herman A. Witkin, Judith Birnbaum, Salvatore Lomonaco, Suzanne Lehr and Judith L. Herman/ Child Development , Vol. 39, No. 3 (Sep., 1968), pp. 767-786 Visual imagery without visual perception?/Helder Brtolo/Faculade de Medicina de Lisboa (Portugal)/2003 Do the blind literally "see" in their dreams? A critique of a recent claim that they do/Kerr, N., & Domhoff, G. W. (2004)/Dreaming, 14, 230-233. The dreams of blind men and women: A replication and extension of previous findings/ Hurovitz, C., Dunn, S., Domhoff, G. W., & Fiss, H. (1999)/Dreaming, 9, 183-193. Wikipedia Blind Peoples Other Senses Not More Acute/PsyBlog/www.spring.org.uk/2008/02/

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