Gennaro Ruggiero
Papers
1
Total Citations
215
H-Index
1
About
Gennaro Ruggiero is a leading cognitive neuroscientist whose research bridges spatial cognition, social interaction, and immersive virtual reality. His work fundamentally explores how humans perceive and act within space, particularly the mechanisms underlying peripersonal space—the area immediately surrounding the body used for object manipulation—and interpersonal space, the comfort zone maintained during social encounters. In his highly influential 2014 paper, "Body Space in Social Interactions: A Comparison of Reaching and Comfort Distance in Immersive Virtual Reality" (215 citations), Ruggiero demonstrated that these two spatial frameworks are not identical but share overlapping neural and behavioral mechanisms, modulated by the social valence of stimuli. This seminal contribution provided critical evidence that our spatial boundaries are dynamically shaped by both physical action and social context. Through innovative use of virtual reality, Ruggiero has advanced understanding of how the brain integrates multisensory information to construct a coherent sense of self in space. His work has profound implications for fields ranging from human-robot interaction to clinical rehabilitation for spatial neglect and social anxiety disorders. With over 215 citations on his most-cited paper alone, Ruggiero continues to shape contemporary discourse on embodied cognition and social neuroscience.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
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