Abstract

Optic-flow discrimination requires the integration of image motion signals across the retina. In the limit, the size of the retinal area (field of view) that is stimulated with image motion will affect discrimination performance. Furthermore, the field of view required for optimal optic-flow discrimination may change as a function of eccentricity. I have systematically varied the field of view (2-32° of visual angle) and eccentricity (0-20°) of computer simulated optic-flow patterns and measured observers’ ability to discriminate the direction of 3-D curvilinear motion in a 2AFC experiment. The results show that performance is optimal at 0° eccentricity across all fields of view. Furthermore, at 0° eccentricity, performance remains fairly constant across fields of view down to ~2°. At eccentricities >0 performance decreases monotonically with decreasing fields of view, and the rate of decline increases with eccentricity.

© 1991 Optical Society of America