Moving and Nonmoving Visual Stimuli: A Reaction Time Study

Abstract

Various considerations suggest that the perception of movement may be mediated at either of two levels, retinal or central, depending on characteristics of the stimulus. Under such a scheme the mediation of apparent movement should be central. One experiment implies that apparent movement may be coded as movement at the retinal level. These considerations permit predictions concerning reaction times. Present data show no difference in reaction time to real movement, stroboscopic movement, and simple flashes, all of 50 msec. duration.