Orientation-selective adaptation improves perceptual grouping

Author:

Pinchuk-Yacobi Noga,Sagi Dov

Abstract

AbstractThe role of visual pattern adaptation, and learning, in spatial integration was investigated. Observers performed a perpetual grouping task in which they reported whether a grid of identical tilted bars (45° counterclockwise from the vertical) is perceived as rows or columns. Performance was measured multiple times during a testing session to determine the effects of repeated exposure to the stimuli. To test for possible effects of learning on the within-session dynamics, observers repeated the experiment on five different days. We found that repeated performance produced rapid within-day improvements, which were largely transient, and were not retained when tested on subsequent days. In addition, exposure to stimuli with equal orientation contributed to the within-session improvement, whereas stimuli having an orientation differing by 45° from the orientation used in the grouping task diminished the improvement previously obtained in the same session. Practice with the task, over days, resulted in faster improvements. The transient nature of these exposure-driven improvements and their susceptibility to interference by stimuli designed to reduce adaptation suggests that adaptation was the main cause for the observed improvements. Finally, to investigate the effects of adaptation on internal noise and on spatial integration, we employed an external noise paradigm, showing that internal noise reduction resulted from adaptation. Internal noise was reduced only when spatial integration was effective, suggesting that adaptation improved perception of global stimulus properties. Overall, our results suggest that the grouping task benefits from an adaptation process that rapidly adjusts the visual system to the statistics of the visual stimuli. We suggest that this effect is achieved through spatial decorrelation of neural responses. With practice, the visual system is able to adjust faster to changes in the statistics of the environment.

Publisher

Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory

同舟云学术

1.学者识别学者识别

2.学术分析学术分析

3.人才评估人才评估

"同舟云学术"是以全球学者为主线,采集、加工和组织学术论文而形成的新型学术文献查询和分析系统,可以对全球学者进行文献检索和人才价值评估。用户可以通过关注某些学科领域的顶尖人物而持续追踪该领域的学科进展和研究前沿。经过近期的数据扩容,当前同舟云学术共收录了国内外主流学术期刊6万余种,收集的期刊论文及会议论文总量共计约1.5亿篇,并以每天添加12000余篇中外论文的速度递增。我们也可以为用户提供个性化、定制化的学者数据。欢迎来电咨询!咨询电话:010-8811{复制后删除}0370

www.globalauthorid.com

TOP

Copyright © 2019-2024 北京同舟云网络信息技术有限公司
京公网安备11010802033243号  京ICP备18003416号-3