A Spatial Gradient of Acceleration and Temporal Extension Underlies Three Illusions of Motion

Abstract

If an object (or cue), is presented and shortly afterwards a line is drawn with one end near to the object, motion away from the object location is induced within the line. This line-motion illusion has best been explained by postulating a facilitative spatial gradient that accelerates signal transmission most strongly near to the object, and less so with increasing distance away from the object. This simple accelerative-gradient model was tested in four experiments by either briefly presenting the line, or replacing the line rendering with a dot moving at high velocity towards (or away from) the initial object location. Observers first perceived motion away from the cue followed by motion towards the cue (hence this new illusion is referred to as the “two motion percepts”, or TMP illusion). The generality of the TMP illusion was investigated through the reports of forty-five inexperienced undergraduates who were presented with TMP displays. Observers who were asked to pictorially reproduce their motion experience, drew a line expanding away from the cue then contracting back towards it 85% of the time. Over 90% of individuals reported experiencing the illusion with a quickly moving dot. The effects of several presentation parameters were investigated by the moving-dot method, and it was concluded that the accelerative-gradient model by itself was inadequate to explain TMP phenomena. Two extended versions of the gradient model are proposed that place the locus of the TMP effects in properties of motion detection mechanisms or in temporal aspects of visual-signal transmission.