Abstract

Sensitivity for inclination detection of a foveally seen line is exceedingly high. It is shown that appropriately structured visual stimuli can interfere with the inclination detection threshold, presumably by inhibiting some neural signals before they are channeled to interact with others of their ensemble. The parameters of this inhibition, and by implication those of the sensitivity of the involved neural elements, are outlined: spatial location, time course, movement sensitivity, dichoptic nature, nonrecurrent characteristics, and position rather than orientation dependency.

© 1976 Optical Society of America

Effect of Orientation on the Modulation Sensitivity for Interference Fringes on the Retina*

Donald E. Mitchell, Ralph D. Freeman, and Gerald Westheimer
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 57(2) 246-249 (1967)

Inhibitory Effects of Orientational Adaptation*

Alberta S. Gilinsky and Tommie H. Mayo
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 61(12) 1710-1714 (1971)

Monkey contrast threshold for aperiodic patterns*

Thomas H. Harding and J. Terry Yates
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 66(2) 131-138 (1976)

Luminance and opponent-color contributions to visual detection and adaptation and to temporal and spatial integration

P. E. King-Smith and D. Carden
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 66(7) 709-717 (1976)

Selectivities of Human Visual Mechanisms for Direction of Movement and Contour Orientation*

R. W. Sekuler, E. L. Rubin, and W. H. Cushman
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 58(8) 1146-1150 (1968)