In the physiology of sensory systems and the psychology of perception, the problem of forming a conscious sensation is of both theoretical and practical interest. One of the methodological approaches to its solution is the method of successive reverse masking. The aim of the work was to measure the main parameters of sequential reverse masking during the execution of a tactile-motor reaction. Method. The research was conducted with the participation of 9 student volunteers. Using a tactile stimulator and an electronic stopwatch, the latent period of the tactile-motor reaction was measured during successive backward masking. During the experiment, the subjects found the stimulation parameters at which the effect of complete backward masking of the test stimulus by the masker stimulus first developed and then completely disappeared. The stimuli were presented sequentially at different values of stimulus onset asynchrony (SOA). Results. The model of sequential backward tactile masking of a test stimulus by a masker stimulus is applicable in studying the mechanisms of coupling the processes of sensation formation and the implementation of sensorimotor reactions. The effect of complete (100 %) masking is reliably realized with the following values of its parameters: the duration of the test stimulus is 20 ms, the masker stimulus is 70 ms, the critical value of asynchrony of the stimulus inclusion SOA is 25 ms. Conclusion. A simple tactile-motor reaction in the paradigm of sequential backward tactile masking is always initiated by the first, test stimulus, and its launch is carried out independently of the formation of a conscious tactile sensation. The nature of the dependence “intensity of tactile stimulus – latent period” has the form of a straight line in the logarithmic scale, i.e. in the studied range of SOA intervals it corresponds to the Weber-Fechner law.
backward masking, «Fehrer-Raab effect», tactile-motor reactions, latent period.
1. Esakov A. I. Neyrofiziologicheskie osnovy taktil'nogo vospriyatiya, M., 1971, bibliogr.;Il'inskiy O. B. Fiziologiya mehanoreceptorov, L., 1975; Fiziologiya sensornyh sistem, pod red. A. S. Batueva
2. Sovremennaya eksperimental'naya psihologiya: V 2 t. / Pod red. V. A. Barabanschikova. – M.: Izd-vo «Institut psihologii RAN», 2011 – T. 2 – 493 s.
3. Kostandov E. A. Psihofiziologiya soznaniya i bessoznatel'nogo. / Kostandov E. A. – SPb.: Piter, 2014. – 167 s.
4. Fehrer E. Reaction time to stimuli masked by metacontrast [Elektronnyy resurs] / Fehrer E., Raab D. // Journal of Experimental Psychology. – 1962. – Vol. 63, № 2. – P. 143–147.
5. Bahmann T. Psihofiziologiya zritel'noy maskirovki. / Bahmann T. – Tartu, 1989. – 400 s.
6. Bachmann T. Metacontrast masking of target-area internal contours and target overall surface brightness: the case of mutually coherent and incoherent visual objects [Elektronnyy resurs] / Bachmann T.//Spatial
7. Francis G. Quantitative Theories of Metacontrast Masking [Elektronnyy resurs] / Francis G. // Psychological Review. – 2000. – Vol. 107, № 4. – R. 768–685.
8. Jeffreys D. A. A visual evoked potential study of metacontrast masking / Jeffreys D. A., Musselwhite M. J. // Vision Research. – 1986. – Vol. 26. – R. 631–642.
9. Klotz W. Motor activation without conscious discrimination in metacontrast masking [Elektronnyy resurs] / Klotz W., Neumann O. // Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception
10. Sobolev V. I. Nezavisimost' prostoy zritel'no-motornoy reakcii ot predsoznatel'noy komponenty oschuscheniya pri obratnoy maskirovke dvuhcvetnymi stimulami / Sobolev V. I.
11. Fechner G. T. Elements of psychophysics / Fechner G. T. – (H.E. Adler, Trans.) New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1966. (Original work published 1860)
12. Aalderen-Smeets S. I. Investigating neurophysiological correlates of metacontrast masking with magnetoencephalography [Elektronnyy resurs] / Aalderen-Smeets S. I., Oostenveld R., Schwarzbach J.
13. Breitmeyer B. G. Recent models and findings in visual backward masking: A comparison, review, and update / Breitmeyer B. G., Ogmen H. // Perception and Psychophysics. – 2000. – Vol. 62, № 8. – R. 1572–1595.
14. Francis G. Quantitative Theories of Metacontrast Masking [Elektronnyy resurs] / Francis G. // Psychological Review. – 2000. – Vol. 107, № 4. – R. 768–685.
15. Ivanickiy A. M. Nauka o mozge na puti k resheniyu problemy soznaniya / Ivanickiy A. M. // Vestnik RAN. – 2010. – T. 80, № 5, 6. – S. 447–455.
16. Aalderen-Smeets S. I. Investigating neurophysiological correlates of metacontrast masking with magnetoencephalography [Elektronnyy resurs] / Aalderen-Smeets S. I., Oostenveld R., Schwarzbach J.
