Simplicity in Perceptual Organization

Helm, Peter A. van der

doi:10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199686858.013.052

Cited by 29 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 93 publications

(79 reference statements)

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“…A similar advantage has been found with dynamic glass patterns5859, the regularities of which have been connected to symmetry60. Similarly, rapid consecutive presentation of different symmetrical patterns has been found to produce more accurate discriminations of orientations of axis of symmetry5455.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 66%

The role of motion and number of element locations in mirror symmetry perception

Sharman

Gheorghiu

2017

Sci Rep

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The human visual system has specialised mechanisms for encoding mirror-symmetry and for detecting symmetric motion-directions for objects that loom or recede from the observers. The contribution of motion to mirror-symmetry perception has never been investigated. Here we examine symmetry detection thresholds for stationary (static and dynamic flicker) and symmetrically moving patterns (inwards, outwards, random directions) with and without positional symmetry. We also measured motion detection and direction-discrimination thresholds for horizontal (left, right) and symmetrically moving patterns with and without positional symmetry. We found that symmetry detection thresholds were (a) significantly higher for static patterns, but there was no difference between the dynamic flicker and symmetrical motion conditions, and (b) higher than motion detection and direction-discrimination thresholds for horizontal or symmetrical motion, with or without positional symmetry. In addition, symmetrical motion was as easy to detect or discriminate as horizontal motion. We conclude that whilst symmetrical motion per se does not contribute to symmetry perception, limiting the lifetime of pattern elements does improve performance by increasing the number of element-locations as elements move from one location to the next. This may be explained by a temporal integration process in which weak, noisy symmetry signals are combined to produce a stronger signal.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 66%

The role of motion and number of element locations in mirror symmetry perception

Sharman

Gheorghiu

2017

Sci Rep

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“…A dissociation between direct and indirect measures of perceptual organization has been reported by Schmidt and Schmidt (2013) , who demonstrated that grouping strength of different grouping rules (e.g., similarity by shape and similarity by brightness) did not correlate with priming effects of those rules. Hence, we propose that the objecthood effects reported here and shape similarity effects in previous studies of the Ebbinghaus illusion reflect an effect of figural “goodness” ( van der Helm, 2014 ; for a comprehensive review on Gestalt factors in visual perception see Peterson & Kimchi, 2013 ; Wagemans et al, 2012 ). Support to this hypothesis may be found in a study by Rose and Bressan (2002) , who showed that even when the target and flankers’ shapes were identical, the magnitude of the illusion varied for different shapes.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 49%

Perceptual grouping leads to objecthood effects in the Ebbinghaus illusion

2020

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The Ebbinghaus illusion is argued to be a product of low-level contour interactions or a higher cognitive comparison process. We examined the effect of grouping on the illusion by manipulating objecthood, i.e., the degree to which an object is a cohesive perceptual entity. We hypothesized that reduced objecthood would decrease the illusion magnitude, because the objects become less efficient in the comparison process. To test this hypothesis, we used a version of the illusion where the target and flanking objects were squares that were composed from their corners or sides. Degree of objecthood was manipulated by changing the gap size or rotation angle of the elements constructing the objects, so that larger gaps and angles produced less cohesive objects than smaller. Participants performed an adjustment procedure on the test target to match a control target in size. In addition, subjective reports of the objects' shape were collected as a measure of perceived shape. Our results show decreased illusion magnitude with increasing gap size and rotation angle. Surprisingly, the perceived shape of the objects did not correlate with illusion magnitude. These results provide novel evidence of the role of mid-level processes in the Ebbinghaus illusion and point to a dissociation between subjective and objective measures of objecthood.

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“…In this experiment, we collected ratings of stability (Liu et al., 2017; van der Helm, 2015) as well as of prototypicality (Rosch, 1975) for the Japanese calligraphies already used in our first experiment. Stability ratings were used to examine to what extent this dimension corresponds to the concept of perceptual balance for the calligraphies.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This habit is formed in individuals through their lifetime by living with gravitation, which forces them to arrange things in a stable way. In this respect, others also speak of “gravitational stability” (van der Helm, 2015). To examine whether visual balance actually means perceived stability for the Japanese calligraphies, we asked our participants to assess the stability of these stimuli.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Relations Between Balance, Prototypicality, and Aesthetic Appreciation for Japanese Calligraphy

Fillinger

Hübner

2018

Empirical Studies of the Arts

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Aesthetic appreciation of pictures partly depends on the perceptual balance of their elements. This relation has also been supported by objective measures predicting balance ratings as well as preference. Gershoni and Hochstein, however, applied these measures to Japanese calligraphies and failed to find such a relation, which questions the generality of these balance concepts. In our first experiment, we, therefore, tried to replicate these results with a slightly different method. In addition, we calculated further balance measures and collected liking ratings. As result, perceptual balance was again uncorrelated with the measures and with liking. In a second experiment, participants assessed the perceptual stability of the calligraphies, which was considered as alternative concept of balance, and their prototypicality. After discounting the effects of prototypicality on liking, there were correlations between liking and stability and between liking and one of the balance measures. However, the correlations were reliable only for atypical calligraphies.

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Simplicity in Perceptual Organization

Cited by 29 publications

References 93 publications

The role of motion and number of element locations in mirror symmetry perception

The role of motion and number of element locations in mirror symmetry perception

Perceptual grouping leads to objecthood effects in the Ebbinghaus illusion

Relations Between Balance, Prototypicality, and Aesthetic Appreciation for Japanese Calligraphy

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