The influence of stimulus shape on orientation acuity

Orientation acuity was estimated for vertical and oblique bar stimuli. Discrimination thresholds were affected by changes in the length and width of the targets, falling as bar length was increased and, conversely, rising as the bars were made wider. These changes are complimentary, in that overall...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Experimental brain research 1998-05, Vol.120 (2), p.217-222
Main Authors: HEELEY, D. W, BUCHANAN-SMITH, H. M
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Anisotropy
Biological and medical sciences
Brain research
Discrimination (Psychology) - physiology
Eye and associated structures. Visual pathways and centers. Vision
Form Perception - physiology
Frontal lobes
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Humans
Orientation - physiology
Photic Stimulation
Physiological aspects
Pilot Projects
Psychophysics
Vertebrates: nervous system and sense organs
Visual acuity
Visual Acuity - physiology
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Summary:Orientation acuity was estimated for vertical and oblique bar stimuli. Discrimination thresholds were affected by changes in the length and width of the targets, falling as bar length was increased and, conversely, rising as the bars were made wider. These changes are complimentary, in that overall discrimination performance can be predicted by a single measure of the orientation "entropy" of the target, namely the height-to-width ratio. The data provide support for a model of orientation coding where discrimination performance is not simply a reflection of the signal-to-noise ratio in single cells in the striate cortex.
ISSN:0014-4819
1432-1106
DOI:10.1007/s002210050395