身体接触を伴う心理学・認知神経科学実験の方法と制約

抄録

In recent years, the importance of tactile stimulation/haptics has increased in various research fields. Psychologists and cognitive neuroscientists have great difficulty controlling tactile stimulation in experiments, in contrast to visual and auditory stimulation. Unlike studies involving audiovisual stimulation, there is no standardized tactile stimulation device, such as a computer display or speaker, which can be purchased anywhere and then controlled easily by any personal computer. In this article, methods of controlling tactile stimulation using vibration, electrical stimulation, and touch on the various materials are introduced. The methods introduced do not completely overcome the difficulty of controlling tactile stimulation in experiments; therefore, psychologists must expend further effort to develop a standardized method. More active collaboration with engineering/robotics researchers and commercial companies will play an important role in this standardization.