Question

In the late 17th century, a scientist named William Molyneux asked the famous philosopher John Locke a question relevant to modern studies of multisensory processing. The question was this: Imagine a person who has been blind since birth, and who is able, by virtue of the sense of touch, to identify three dimensional shapes such as spheres or pyramids. Now imagine that this person suddenly receives the ability to see. Would the person, without using the sense of touch, be able to identify those same shapes visually? Can modern research in multimodal perception help answer this question? Why or why not? How do the studies about crossmodal phenomena inform us about the answer to this question?

Answer 1

Ideally, a person who has been blind since birth, and who is able, by virtue of the sense of touch, to identify three dimensional shapes such as spheres or pyramids. This type of perception is unimodal that is pertaining to single sensory modality followed by transmission of neural information to the cortical sensory area of brain result in perception; now, this person suddenly receives the ability to see. The person, without using the sense of touch, is able to identify those same shapes visually. During initial period of visual perception he is able to percept in unimodal way with no superadditive effect of multisensory integration. This is because his perception of identifying those shapes completely relies upon both touch and vision due to superadditive effect of multisensory integration and sources of identification are spatially related to each other. Thereby cross model phenomenon of unimodal cortex is predominantly devoted to the information processing is not going to occur with visual perception in him rather multimodal sensory modalities integrated with cross modal phenomenon is pertaining to both sense of touch and sense of vision to recognize spheres and pyramids.

Step-by-step explanation:

Multimodal association cortical areas are also known as “association areas,” which mediate the motor and sensory inputs. The three association areas include,

Limbic association area: Located in the anterior-ventral lobe of the temporal lobe its major function is to link the emotional responses to sensory inputs.

Posterior association area: Connects occipital, temporal and parietal lobes, its primary functions are perception and language integration.

Anterior association area: It is located at the prefrontal cortex, and plays a major role in memory, higher order thinking and planning.

Answer 2

Regularly, an individual who has been visually impaired since birth, and who is capable, by ideals of the feeling of touch, to recognize three dimensional shapes, for example, circles or pyramids. This sort of recognition is unimodal that is relating to single tangible methodology followed by transmission of neural data to the cortical tactile region of mind bring about discernment; presently, this individual unexpectedly gets the capacity to see. The individual, without utilizing the feeling of touch, can distinguish those equivalent shapes outwardly. During introductory time of visual recognition he can percept in unimodal manner with no superadditive impact of multisensory combination. This is on the grounds that his view of recognizing those shapes totally depends upon both touch and vision because of superadditive impact of multisensory combination and wellsprings of distinguishing proof are spatially identified with one another. Along these lines cross model marvel of unimodal cortex is dominatingly committed to the data preparing won't happen with visual recognition in him rather multimodal tangible modalities incorporated with cross modular wonder is relating to both feeling of touch and feeling of vision to perceive circles and pyramids.

Clarification

Multimodal affiliation cortical regions are otherwise called "affiliation territories," which intercede the engine and tangible sources of info. The three affiliation zones incorporate,

Limbic affiliation region: Located in the front ventral projection of the transient flap its significant capacity is to interface the passionate reactions to tactile sources of info.

Back affiliation zone: Connects occipital, transient and parietal flaps, its essential capacities are observation and language coordination.

Foremost affiliation zone: It is situated at the prefrontal cortex, and assumes a significant job in memory, higher request thinking and arranging.