Directing spatial attention towards the illusory location of a ventriloquized sound

In this study, we examined whether ventriloquism can rearrange external spa ce on which spatial reflexive attention operates. The task was to judge the elevation (up vs down) of auditory targets delivered in the left or the ri ght periphery, taking no account of side of presentation. Targets were prec eded by either auditory, visual, or audiovisual cues to that side. Auditory , but not visual cues had an effect on the speed of auditory target discrim ination. On the other hand, a ventriloquized cue, consisting of a tone in c entral location synchronized with a light flash in the periphery, facilitat ed responses to targets appearing on the same side as the flash. That effec t presumably resulted from the attraction of the apparent location of the t one towards the flash, a well-known manifestation of ventriloquism. Ventril oquism thus can reorganize space in which reflexive attention operates. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.