The purpose of this study was to measure reaction times (RTs) when a conflict arises between the visual feedback and the temperature of an object. This study focused on the quantifiable RTs along with the qualitative feedback of the participants. It was hypothesized that when the information of the visual and temperature stimuli are incongruent (blue-warm or red-cold), the RTs will be slower than when they are congruent (blue-cold or red-warm). We suggest that vision could convey temperature perception in an independent but complimentary manner. We utilized the Oculus Rift to create a virtual environment that allowed us to control the visual cues of an objects’ temperature and a Peltier thermo-device to provide the tactile temperature stimuli. The results confirmed our initial expectation that participants RTs are longer for incongruent stimuli than congruent stimuli. The results also showed that participants rated cold temperature sensations warmer when presented simultaneously with a visual red color cue and warm temperature sensations cooler when presented simultaneously with a visual blue color cue.
","abstract_html":"<p>The purpose of this study was to measure reaction times (RTs) when a conflict arises between the visual feedback and the temperature of an object. This study focused on the quantifiable RTs along with the qualitative feedback of the participants. It was hypothesized that when the information of the visual and temperature stimuli are incongruent (blue-warm or red-cold), the RTs will be slower than when they are congruent (blue-cold or red-warm). We suggest that vision could convey temperature perception in an independent but complimentary manner. We utilized the Oculus Rift to create a virtual environment that allowed us to control the visual cues of an objects’ temperature and a Peltier thermo-device to provide the tactile temperature stimuli. The results confirmed our initial expectation that participants RTs are longer for incongruent stimuli than congruent stimuli. The results also showed that participants rated cold temperature sensations warmer when presented simultaneously with a visual red color cue and warm temperature sensations cooler when presented simultaneously with a visual blue color cue.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Balcer, Carrie Anne"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Science","degree_level":"Thesis","degree_discipline":"Psychological Science","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Mounia Ziat"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2014,"date_issued":"2014-08-01T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2014-08-01T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T03:23:34Z","subjects":["Oculus Rift","color-temperature paradigm","thermal sensation","thermal thresholds","temperature conflict","thermal cues","Cognition and Perception"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://commons.nmu.edu/theses/30","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Mounia Ziat"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Balcer, Carrie Anne"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2014-06-18T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Psychological Science"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Oculus Rift","color-temperature paradigm","thermal sensation","thermal thresholds","temperature conflict","thermal cues","Cognition and Perception"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://commons.nmu.edu/theses/30"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["The purpose of this study was to measure reaction times (RTs) when a conflict arises between the visual feedback and the temperature of an object. This study focused on the quantifiable RTs along with the qualitative feedback of the participants. It was hypothesized that when the information of the visual and temperature stimuli are incongruent (blue-warm or red-cold), the RTs will be slower than when they are congruent (blue-cold or red-warm). We suggest that vision could convey temperature perception in an independent but complimentary manner. We utilized the Oculus Rift to create a virtual environment that allowed us to control the visual cues of an objects’ temperature and a Peltier thermo-device to provide the tactile temperature stimuli. The results confirmed our initial expectation that participants RTs are longer for incongruent stimuli than congruent stimuli. The results also showed that participants rated cold temperature sensations warmer when presented simultaneously with a visual red color cue and warm temperature sensations cooler when presented simultaneously with a visual blue color cue.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["VISUAL CUES EFFECTS ON TEMPERATURE PERCEPTION"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Mounia Ziat"],"dc:creator":["Balcer, Carrie Anne"],"dc:date.available":["2014-06-18T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["The purpose of this study was to measure reaction times (RTs) when a conflict arises between the visual feedback and the temperature of an object. This study focused on the quantifiable RTs along with the qualitative feedback of the participants. It was hypothesized that when the information of the visual and temperature stimuli are incongruent (blue-warm or red-cold), the RTs will be slower than when they are congruent (blue-cold or red-warm). We suggest that vision could convey temperature perception in an independent but complimentary manner. We utilized the Oculus Rift to create a virtual environment that allowed us to control the visual cues of an objects’ temperature and a Peltier thermo-device to provide the tactile temperature stimuli. The results confirmed our initial expectation that participants RTs are longer for incongruent stimuli than congruent stimuli. The results also showed that participants rated cold temperature sensations warmer when presented simultaneously with a visual red color cue and warm temperature sensations cooler when presented simultaneously with a visual blue color cue.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://commons.nmu.edu/theses/30"],"dc:subject":["Oculus Rift","color-temperature paradigm","thermal sensation","thermal thresholds","temperature conflict","thermal cues","Cognition and Perception"],"dc:title":["VISUAL CUES EFFECTS ON TEMPERATURE PERCEPTION"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Psychological Science"],"thesis:degree_level":["Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T03:23:34Z"}