How Simultaneous is the Perception of Binocular Depth and Rivalry in Plaid Stimuli?

Abstract

Psychophysical experiments have demonstrated that it is possible to perceive both binocular depth and rivalry in plaids (Buckthought and Wilson 2007, Vision Research 47 2543–2556). In a recent study, we investigated the neural substrates for depth and rivalry processing with these plaid patterns, when either a depth or rivalry task was performed (Buckthought and Mendola 2011, Journal of Vision 11 1–15). However, the extent to which perception of the two stimulus aspects was truly simultaneous remained somewhat unclear. In the present study, we introduced a new task in which subjects were instructed to perform both depth and rivalry tasks concurrently. Subjects were clearly able to perform both tasks at the same time, but with a modest, symmetric drop in performance when compared to either task carried out alone. Subjects were also able to raise performance levels for either task by performing it with a higher priority, with a decline in performance for the other task. The symmetric declines in performance are consistent with the interpretation that the two tasks are equally demanding of attention (Braun and Julesz 1998, Perception & Psychophysics 60 1–23). The results demonstrate the impressive combination of binocular features that supports coincident depth and rivalry in surface perception, within the constraints of presumed orientation and spatial frequency channels.

Investigation into the relationship between Parallel Visual Task Processing Ability and Academic Performance in School-Age Children

“…Parallel visual task examinations assess the ability of subjects to simultaneously process various visual information sources. This ability is related to the neural mechanisms of the binocular visual system, allowing individuals to simultaneously process multiple visual information or focus on multiple dynamic objects in complex visual environments [16][17].…”

“…The ability of children to simultaneously process various visual information sources in a complex environment, known as parallel visual task processing ability, re ects their ability to switch between visual tasks and shift visual attention. These capabilities are crucial components of the learning process [16][17][18][19][20]. This study investigates the parallel visual task processing ability of school-age children in grades 1-6 in Wuxi City, and further explores the correlation between these abilities and academic performance.…”