Contribution of Colour to the Motion Aftereffect and Motion Perception

Abstract

The aim in this work was to assess the contribution which colour information makes to the perception of motion. Two dependent variables were measured: the reaction time to a sudden cessation of motion (motion-end RT) and the duration of the motion aftereffect (MAE). In each case, a baseline measure of performance was made with the aid of a monochrome stimulus with a given contrast and added luminance noise. This was compared with performance when red/green colour modulation was added to the luminance display. Any difference between these measures would reveal the extent of chromatic input. For motion-end RT the addition of colour had little effect under conditions where the stimulus had a strong luminance component and little added luminance noise. Increasing departures from these conditions revealed the contribution of a colour-sensitive mechanism. In general, the chromatic contribution to MAE duration was much smaller than was the equivalent contribution to motion-end RT, thus possibly indicating a neurological dissociation between the mechanisms subserving these effects. The results of an experiment in which the effect of different temporal frequencies of the added luminance noise was assessed supported this dissociation between MAE and motion-end RT. The findings are therefore consistent with there being two motion (sub)systems, which differ in the extent of chromatic input. The subsystem revealed by MAE measures is less affected by colour information.