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Cited by 108Virtual Reality Applications and ImpactsMultisensory perception and integrationTactile and Sensory Interactions

Individual Differences in the Rubber Hand Illusion Are Related to Sensory Suggestibility

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Marotta, Angela, Tinazzi, Michele, Cavedini, Clelia, Zampini, Massimiliano, Fiorio, Mirta·2016·PLOS ONE
DOI 10.1371/journal.pone.0168489PMC PMC5158054
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Abstract

In the rubber hand illusion (RHI), watching a rubber hand being stroked in synchrony with one's own hidden hand may induce a sense of ownership over the rubber hand. The illusion relies on bottom-up multisensory integration of visual, tactile, and proprioceptive information, and on top-down processes through which the rubber hand is incorporated into pre-existing representations of the body. Although the degree of illusory experience varies largely across individuals, the factors influencing individual differences are unknown. We investigated whether sensory suggestibility might modulate susceptibility to the RHI. Sensory suggestibility is a personality trait related to how individuals react to sensory information. Because of its sensory nature, this trait could be relevant for studies using the RHI paradigm. Seventy healthy volunteers were classified by Sensory Suggestibility Scale (SSS) scores as having high or low suggestibility and assigned to either a high- (High-SSS) or a low-suggestibility (Low-SSS) group. Two components of the RHI were evaluated in synchronous and asynchronous stroking conditions: subjective experience of sense of ownership over the rubber hand via a 9-statement questionnaire, and proprioceptive drift as measured with a ruler. The High-SSS group was generally more susceptible to the subjective component; in the synchronous condition, they rated the statement assessing the sense of ownership higher than the Low-SSS group. The scores for this statement significantly correlated with the total SSS score, indicating that the higher the sensory suggestibility, the stronger the sense of ownership. No effect of sensory suggestibility on proprioceptive drift was observed, suggesting that the effect is specific for the subjective feeling of ownership. This study demonstrates that sensory suggestibility may contribute to participants' experience of the illusion and should be considered when using the RHI paradigm.

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  • The a priori estimates for the Bayes factors appear plausible according to the correlation between proprioceptive drift and hypnotisability reported in Walsh et al. and the correlation between subjective report and sensory suggestibility reported in Marotta et al.

    “These a priori estimates appear plausible according to the correlation between proprioceptive drift and hypnotisability reported in Walsh et al.46 and the correlation between subjective report and sensory suggestibility reported in Marotta et al.47.”

    From Trait phenomenological control predicts experience of mirror synaesthesia and the rubber hand illusion (2020) · cites this paper as Marotta et al.47

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Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Marotta, A., Tinazzi, M., Cavedini, C., Zampini, M., & Fiorio, M.
Affiliations
  • University of Verona (IT)
  • University of Trento (IT)
Corresponding author
  • Marotta, Angela
  • Fiorio, Mirta
ORCID
Venue
PLOS ONE
Publisher
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Published
2016-12-15
Volume
11
Issue
12
Pages
e0168489
ISSN
1932-6203 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1371/journal.pone.0168489
PMC
PMC5158054
OpenAlex
W2545057591
Cited by
108
References
5
Citations by year
2026: 8 · 2025: 11 · 2024: 12 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 16 · 2021: 17 · 2020: 13 · 2019: 12 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 4
FWCI
12.47
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • PLoS ONE (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Iris (University of Trento) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Human-Computer Interaction › Virtual Reality Applications and Impacts
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Multisensory perception and integration
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Tactile and Sensory Interactions
Keywords
rubber hand illusion, body ownership, multisensory integration, proprioception, individual differences, illusion susceptibility
MeSH terms
Female, Hand, Humans, Illusions, Male, Proprioception, Surveys and Questionnaires, Rubber, Self Concept, Visual Perception, Touch Perception, Healthy Volunteers

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