Visual stimuli superimposed on moving pattern perceptually disappear (motion-induced blindness: MIB). We reported that sounds can recover visual awareness suppressed by MIB. We presented a square as a target in MIB and three pure tones of 1.8 kHz (duration: 50 ms). Participants were asked to press and release an assigned key corresponding to the disappearance and reappearance of the target. The sounds were presented immediately after the disappearance response. They were either presented on the same or a different side as the target on the screen to test the effects of spatial consistency across audiovisual stimulation (Experiment 1). We also varied the sound pressure level (45 to 85 dBA) to test the robustness of the recovering effect (Experiment 2). The results showed that the awareness of the disappearing target was quickly recovered only after the presentation of sounds of 65 dBA or above, on the same side as the target. We suggest that auditory signals interfere with visual suppression and modulate the status of visual awareness.（本研究では、聴覚刺激が、運動誘発盲によって抑制されたターゲットの視知覚を回復させるかを検討した。実験の結果、ターゲットと同じ側で、65 dBA以上の聴覚刺激が呈示された後にのみ、消失ターゲットの視知覚が即座に回復することを示した。この結果は、聴覚刺激が視知覚の抑制を妨害し、視知覚の状態を制御することを示唆する。）
Michiaki Shibata, Yousuke Kawachi, Satoshi Yairi, Yukio Iwaya, Jiro Gyoba, Yôiti Suzuki
