Object expectations alter information use during visual recognition

Abstract

Prior expectations influence how we perceive and recognize objects. However, how they do so remains unclear, especially in the case of real-world complex objects. Expectations of objects may affect which features are used to recognize them subsequently. In this study, we used reverse correlation in neurotypical participants to reveal with high precision how the use of spatial frequencies across time is modulated by everyday object expectations in a recognition task. We show that coarse information leads to accurate responses earlier when an object is expected, indicating that subjects use diagnostic features earlier in this situation. We also demonstrate an increased variability in the later use of coarse information depending on the expected object, indicating that subjects adopt a more specialized recognition strategy when they have a specific object expectation. In summary, our results reveal how expectations of real-world complex objects affect the use of visual information across time.