Attention modulates multisensory integration: The case of audiovisual speech

Salvador Soto-Faraco, Dept. Psicologia Bàsica - Facultat de Psicologia and Parc Científic de Barcelona, Universitat de Barcelona

Abstract
The integration of auditory and visual speech signals, perhaps best illustrated by the classic McGurk illusion, has been traditionally considered as one of the prototypical examples of fast, automatic multisensory binding. Findings from behavioural studies, which have failed to find an effect of attention on the McGurk illusion, as well as the evidence for audiovisual interactions at early stages of processing, seem to provide support for the automatic nature of multisensory integration. Here, we have addressed a direct test of this idea using a novel approach based on the attentional load hypothesis. A dual task paradigm allowed us to manipulate the amount of attentional resources available during the presentation of dubbed audio-visual clips conducive to the McGurk illusion. We found that, when attentional resources are depleted by a concurrent task, the prevalence of the McGurk illusion suffers a dramatic decrement, as compared to situation where less demands are placed on attention. These results point to a role of attention in multisensory binding.

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