Individual differences in the illusion of self-motion (vection): The role of field dependence, anomalous perceptual experiences, and tolerance of ambiguity.

This article investigates how individual-difference factors influence vection, the illusion of self-motion arising from conflicting sensory inputs. Analyzing data from 170 healthy adults exposed to visual stimuli inducing vection, the study found that higher field dependence—a cognitive style favoring external visual cues—was associated with faster onset of vection. Additionally, lower tolerance of ambiguity, reflecting discomfort with uncertain situations, correlated with longer duration and greater intensity of the illusion, especially under faster visual stimulation. While anomalous perceptual experiences (a domain of psychotic-like experiences) showed only weak tendencies to affect vection, biological sex had no significant impact. The findings are interpreted within a Bayesian framework of multisensory integration, suggesting that internal predispositions shape how sensory conflicts are resolved, influencing the strength and persistence of illusory self-motion.