motionsensitivity

Motion sensitivity, sometimes written motionsensitivity, refers to the degree to which a person perceives and responds to motion cues in the environment. It includes sensitivity to self-motion (vection), object motion in the visual field, and the ease with which motion information is integrated into perception and action. Individuals vary widely in motion sensitivity, shaping comfort, balance, and performance in visually dynamic contexts such as driving, sports, and virtual reality.

The biology involves visual processing areas in the cortex, notably area MT/V5, which detect coherent motion, as well as the vestibular system in the inner ear and proprioceptive feedback. Perception of motion results from the integration of visual, vestibular, and somatosensory information in multisensory networks. Genetic, developmental, and environmental factors, along with health conditions (e.g., migraine, vestibular disorders, anxiety), can modulate motion sensitivity. Age also influences motion sensitivity through changes in vestibular and sensory processing.

Measurement is typically done with psychophysical tasks that determine motion-detection or motion-coherence thresholds, tests of vection susceptibility, and questionnaires such as the Motion Sickness Susceptibility Questionnaire. Functional imaging and electrophysiology studies illuminate the neural correlates of motion processing.

Applications include improving the design of displays, virtual reality, and video games to reduce discomfort for sensitive individuals; guiding rehabilitation for vestibular or balance disorders; and tailoring safety or training protocols in professions requiring rapid motion perception.