Department of Psychology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, United States.
Cognition. 2011 Jun;119(3):448-53. doi: 10.1016/j.cognition.2011.02.009. Epub 2011 Mar 10.
It is well established that the near space immediately surrounding the body (also known as peripersonal space) is represented differently than the space farther away. When bisecting horizontal lines, for example, neurologically-healthy adults show a slight leftward bias (known as pseudoneglect) in near space; this attentional bias, however, transitions rightward in far space. Recent research has used the rate at which this shift occurs to quantify the extent (i.e., size) of near space, showing consistent individual differences that relate to arm length. Here we examined whether the size of near space relates to individual differences in claustrophobic fear, as measured by reported anxiety of enclosed spaces and physically restrictive situations. Trait feelings of claustrophobic fear predicted the size of near space, even after accounting for the relation to arm length. Specifically, people with larger near spaces reported higher rates of claustrophobic fear than people with smaller near spaces. These results are consistent with a defensive function of near space representation and suggest that an over-projection of near space may play an important role in the etiology of claustrophobia.
众所周知，人体周围的近空间（也称为近体空间）与更远的空间的表示方式不同。例如，当等分水平线时，神经健康的成年人在近空间中会表现出轻微的左偏（称为假性忽视）；然而，这种注意力偏向在远空间中会向右转。最近的研究使用这种转变发生的速度来量化近体空间的大小，结果显示出与臂长相关的一致的个体差异。在这里，我们研究了近体空间的大小是否与幽闭恐惧症恐惧的个体差异有关，这种恐惧通过对封闭空间和身体受限情况的焦虑报告来衡量。特质幽闭恐惧症恐惧的感觉预测了近体空间的大小，即使考虑到与臂长的关系也是如此。具体来说，近体空间较大的人报告的幽闭恐惧症恐惧程度高于近体空间较小的人。这些结果与近体空间表示的防御功能一致，并表明近体空间的过度投射可能在幽闭恐惧症的发病机制中发挥重要作用。
