Principle of inverse effectiveness

[Concepts in Sensorimotor Research]

The principle of inverse effectiveness is a phenomenon observed in multisensory integration, which refers to how our brain combines information from multiple sensory modalities, such as vision, hearing, and touch. According to this principle, the strength or effectiveness of multisensory integration is greatest when the individual unisensory cues are weak or ineffective on their own.

Ergo, when the individual sensory cues are relatively weak or have low impact, the brain tends to rely more on multisensory integration to enhance the perception and processing of the stimuli. eg: people with hearing loss exhibit increased visual abilities, and increased crossmodal activation within the auditory cortex. 

This principle suggests that the brain optimally integrates sensory information from multiple modalities to improve perception and increase sensitivity, particularly in situations where the sensory cues are less informative or ambiguous.

The principle of inverse effectiveness highlights the advantage of combining multiple sensory inputs in situations where the individual senses may provide limited or unreliable information. By integrating sensory cues from different modalities, the brain can enhance the overall perception and make more accurate judgments about the external environment. This principle has been observed across various species and sensory domains and is believed to reflect a fundamental property of multisensory processing.