Abstract

Human luminance thresholds were measured using a square-wave test grating (spatial frequency=0.38 cycles/deg) moving at different speeds (from 0.0° to 22°/s). A set of gratings of various spatial frequencies ranging from 0.00 (uniform field) through 23 cycles/deg provided different adapting patterns that were viewed prior to threshold determinations. The pattern of threshold elevations produced by the set of adapting gratings was different for different test-grating speeds. These results indicate that visual mechanisms with different spatial-frequency-tuning characteristics mediate the detection of a low-frequency grating when it is moved at different speeds. Also, results were obtained which suggest that the higher-harmonic components of a low-frequency grating contribute to its detection when it is moved at slow speeds.

© 1970 Optical Society of America

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)

Visual Masking by Low-Frequency Sinusoidally Modulated Light

G. M. SHICKMAN
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Spatial-Frequency Discrimination in Human Vision

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Localized effects of spatial-frequency adaptation

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Motion and vision. III. Stabilized pattern adaptation

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