Psychology of Touch and Blindness

"This book reviews the considerable body of research that has been done to evaluate the touch skills of blind people. With an emphasis on cognitive and neuroscientific approaches, it encompasses a wide-ranging discussion of the theoretical issues in the field of touch perception and blindness. The volume includes chapters on sensory aspects of touch, perception in blind individuals, multimodal relations and their implications for instruction and development, and new technology, including sensory aids and virtual touch. A distinctive feature of the book is the inclusion of the practical applications of research in this area. A significant characteristic of research on touch and imagery in congenitally blind individuals is that it speaks to the basic nature of spatial imagery and the importance and necessity -- or lack thereof -- of specific visual sensory experience for the acquisition of knowledge about space, spatial layout, and picture perception. As such, the book will not only appeal to researchers and professionals with an interest in touch and blindness, but also to a wider audience of cognitive psychologists and cognitive neuroscientists working in the field of perception."--Provided by publisher Introduction : Historical And Philosophical Background -- Cognitive Neuroscience Of Touch -- The Haptic Perception Of Objects And Their Properties -- Illusions -- Intermodal Relations -- Developent Of Haptic Perception Over The Life Span -- Blindness -- Picture Perception And Blind People -- Braille And New Technology -- Haptics In Learning Reading, Hadwriting, And Mathematics -- Tactile Interfaces And Applications -- General Conclusions : Implications Of Current Research For Theory And Applications. Morton A. Heller And Edouard Gentaz. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [221]-257) And Indexes.