On the relation between dichoptic masking and binocular rivalry
On the relation between dichoptic masking and binocular rivalry
When our two eyes view incompatible images, the brain invokes suppressive processes to inhibit one image, and favour the other. Two phenomena are typically observed: dichoptic masking (reduced sensitivity to one image) for brief presentations, and binocular rivalry (alternation between the two images), over longer exposures. However, it is not clear if these two phenomena arise from a common suppressive process. We investigated this by measuring both threshold elevation in simultaneous dichoptic masking and mean percept durations in rivalry, whilst varying relative stimulus orientation. Masking and rivalry showed significant correlations, such that strong masking was associated with long dominance durations. A second experiment suggested that individual differences across both measures are also correlated. These findings are consistent with varying the magnitude of interocular suppression in computational models of both rivalry and masking, and imply the existence of a common suppressive process. Since dichoptic masking has been localised to the monocular neurons of V1, this is a plausible first stage of binocular rivalry.
dichoptic masking, binocular rivalry, orientation, individual differences, interocular suppression
451-459
Baker, Daniel H.
92545fbf-bb42-4155-a530-91b917648047
Graf, Erich W.
1a5123e2-8f05-4084-a6e6-837dcfc66209
20 February 2009
Baker, Daniel H.
92545fbf-bb42-4155-a530-91b917648047
Graf, Erich W.
1a5123e2-8f05-4084-a6e6-837dcfc66209
Baker, Daniel H. and Graf, Erich W.
(2009)
On the relation between dichoptic masking and binocular rivalry.
Vision Research, 49 (4), .
(doi:10.1016/j.visres.2008.12.002).
Abstract
When our two eyes view incompatible images, the brain invokes suppressive processes to inhibit one image, and favour the other. Two phenomena are typically observed: dichoptic masking (reduced sensitivity to one image) for brief presentations, and binocular rivalry (alternation between the two images), over longer exposures. However, it is not clear if these two phenomena arise from a common suppressive process. We investigated this by measuring both threshold elevation in simultaneous dichoptic masking and mean percept durations in rivalry, whilst varying relative stimulus orientation. Masking and rivalry showed significant correlations, such that strong masking was associated with long dominance durations. A second experiment suggested that individual differences across both measures are also correlated. These findings are consistent with varying the magnitude of interocular suppression in computational models of both rivalry and masking, and imply the existence of a common suppressive process. Since dichoptic masking has been localised to the monocular neurons of V1, this is a plausible first stage of binocular rivalry.
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Published date: 20 February 2009
Keywords:
dichoptic masking, binocular rivalry, orientation, individual differences, interocular suppression
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Local EPrints ID: 65559
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/65559
ISSN: 0042-6989
PURE UUID: b96ac540-fc34-491c-ac64-caeaaa72144c
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Date deposited: 23 Feb 2009
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 02:49
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Author:
Daniel H. Baker
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