How to use individual differences to isolate functional organization, biology, and utility of visual functions; with illustrative proposals for stereopsis

Wilmer, Jeremy

doi:10.1163/156856808786451408

Cited by 111 publications

(117 citation statements)

References 92 publications

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“…Wilmer (2008) highlights three reasons that we consider in turn: functional organisation, genetics/environment, and utility. The dominant approach to exploring functional organisation is based on dissociations in performance (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The structure of inter-individual differences in visual ability: Evidence from the general population and synaesthesia

et al. 2017

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This study considers how inter-individual differences in visual ability are structured. Visual ability could be a single entity (along the lines of general intelligence, or 'g'), or could be structured according to major anatomical or physiological pathways (dorsal v. ventral streams; magno-v. parvo-cellular systems); or may be a finer-grained mosaic of abilities. To test this, we employed seven visual psychophysical tests (generating 16 measures) on a large (100+) sample of neurotypical participants. A Varimax-rotated PCA (Principal Component Analysis) revealed a two-factor solution that broadly corresponds to a high and low spatial frequency division (consistent with a magno/parvo distinction). Over and above this, two measures (temporal order judgments; gain in contrast sensitivity) correlated with most others, and loaded on both factors, suggesting that they tap broad visual processing demands. These analyses open up further possibilities for exploring the genetic and neuroscientific foundations of differences in visual ability. The tests were also run on a group of individuals with different types of visually-based synaesthesia, given that previous research have suggested they possess a distinct profile of visual abilities. Synaesthesia was linked to enhanced processing of colour and shape/curvature information (amongst others), that may relate to differences in V4 in this group. In conclusion, individual differences in vision are both striking and meaningful, despite our difficulty to imagine seeing the world any differently.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The structure of inter-individual differences in visual ability: Evidence from the general population and synaesthesia

et al. 2017

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“…dichromacy | aesthetic preference | color vision | color naming I ndividuals vary in their perceptual experience of the world, and sometimes this variation is caused by genetic differences (1)(2)(3)(4). Dichromacy is a form of color-vision deficiency affecting about 2% of human males in which only two of the three types of retinal cone photoreceptors are functional because of genetic factors (1,2).…”

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confidence: 99%

Color preference in red–green dichromats

Álvaro

Moreira

Lillo

et al. 2015

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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Around 2% of males have red-green dichromacy, which is a genetic disorder of color vision where one type of cone photoreceptor is missing. Here we investigate the color preferences of dichromats. We aim (i) to establish whether the systematic and reliable color preferences of normal trichromatic observers (e.g., preference maximum at blue, minimum at yellow-green) are affected by dichromacy and (ii) to test theories of color preference with a dichromatic sample. Dichromat and normal trichromat observers named and rated how much they liked saturated, light, dark, and focal colors twice. Trichromats had the expected pattern of preference. Dichromats had a reliable pattern of preference that was different to trichromats, with a preference maximum rather than minimum at yellow and a much weaker preference for blue than trichromats. Color preference was more affected in observers who lacked the cone type sensitive to long wavelengths (protanopes) than in those who lacked the cone type sensitive to medium wavelengths (deuteranopes). Trichromats' preferences were summarized effectively in terms of cone-contrast between color and background, and yellow-blue cone-contrast could account for dichromats' pattern of preference, with some evidence for residual red-green activity in deuteranopes' preference. Dichromats' color naming also could account for their color preferences, with colors named more accurately and quickly being more preferred. This relationship between color naming and preference also was present for trichromat males but not females. Overall, the findings provide novel evidence on how dichromats experience color, advance the understanding of why humans like some colors more than others, and have implications for general theories of aesthetics.dichromacy | aesthetic preference | color vision | color naming I ndividuals vary in their perceptual experience of the world, and sometimes this variation is caused by genetic differences (1-4). Dichromacy is a form of color-vision deficiency affecting about 2% of human males in which only two of the three types of retinal cone photoreceptors are functional because of genetic factors (1, 2). Protanopes, deuteranopes, and tritanopes lack cone photoreceptors sensitive to long (L), medium (M), and short (S) wavelengths, respectively. Accordingly, dichromats' color discrimination is poorer, and their spectral sensitivity is slightly shifted to longer wavelengths (deuteranopes) or is moderately shifted to shorter wavelengths (protanopes) compared with that of normal trichromats (common observers; see table 3.6 in ref. 5).In normal trichromats, cone responses are the input signals for two chromatic cone opponent mechanisms, red-green and yellowblue, based on L−M and S−(L+M) cone responses, respectively, and one achromatic mechanism, mainly based on L+M responses (1). Traditionally it has been considered that protanopes and deuteranopes lack functionality in the red-green mechanism, because this opponent mechanism is based on the comparison of L and M cone responses, and one...

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“…Such analyses of individual differences are underused [15][16][17] . From the present measurements of individual differences, we argue for independent S-on and S-off post-receptoral channels.…”

Section: Bistratified Ganglion Cells S-off Ganglion Cellsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Individual differences provide psychophysical evidence for separate on- and off-pathways deriving from short-wave cones

et al. 2013

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(2014) Individual differences provide psychophysical evidence for separate onand off-pathways deriving from short-wave cones. Journal of the Optical Society of America A, 31 (4). A47-A54. ISSN 1084-7529 This version is available from Sussex Research Online: http://sro.sussex.ac.uk/52508/ This document is made available in accordance with publisher policies and may differ from the published version or from the version of record. If you wish to cite this item you are advised to consult the publisher's version. Please see the URL above for details on accessing the published version. Copyright and reuse:Sussex Research Online is a digital repository of the research output of the University.Copyright and all moral rights to the version of the paper presented here belong to the individual author(s) and/or other copyright owners. To the extent reasonable and practicable, the material made available in SRO has been checked for eligibility before being made available.Copies of full text items generally can be reproduced, displayed or performed and given to third parties in any format or medium for personal research or study, educational, or not-for-profit purposes without prior permission or charge, provided that the authors, title and full bibliographic details are credited, a hyperlink and/or URL is given for the original metadata page and the content is not changed in any way. S-cones, S-on, S-off, increments, decrements, individual differences, GWAS.

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How to use individual differences to isolate functional organization, biology, and utility of visual functions; with illustrative proposals for stereopsis

Cited by 111 publications

References 92 publications

The structure of inter-individual differences in visual ability: Evidence from the general population and synaesthesia

The structure of inter-individual differences in visual ability: Evidence from the general population and synaesthesia

Color preference in red–green dichromats

Individual differences provide psychophysical evidence for separate on- and off-pathways deriving from short-wave cones

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