Divergence thresholds as functions of temporal separation, spatial separation, and retinal locus. 1983

M J Di Orio, and T L Harrington

Human thresholds were measured for the detection of angular divergence between straight lines using pairs of line segments. The dependence of these thresholds on temporal separation between the two lines, spatial separation, and retinal locus was assessed. Results were comparable to prior divergence thresholds obtained by Harrington and Harrington in their study of "blur patterns." In blur patterns motion parameters may be processed partly or wholly as form information rather than as motion information per se. Harrington and Harrington had used moderate blurring velocities, for which information on both motion and form were present. Observers may have been responding either to motion or to form. The study reported here used briefly presented two-line "blur patterns" with only form information. Analysis suggested that the form components of fast motion-produced blur patterns could be processed by the human visual system. Neither temporal nor spatial separation was a significant determiner of thresholds in accordance with Harrington and Harrington who found no effect of blur-line density in the range studied. Retinal locus was a factor as it was with blur patterns. Some possible mechanisms for the detection of divergence indicated by these results are discussed.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008568 Memory Complex mental function having four distinct phases: (1) memorizing or learning, (2) retention, (3) recall, and (4) recognition. Clinically, it is usually subdivided into immediate, recent, and remote memory.
D009039 Motion Perception The real or apparent movement of objects through the visual field. Movement Perception,Perception, Motion,Perception, Movement
D009949 Orientation Awareness of oneself in relation to time, place and person. Cognitive Orientation,Mental Orientation,Psychological Orientation,Cognitive Orientations,Mental Orientations,Orientation, Cognitive,Orientation, Mental,Orientation, Psychological,Orientations,Orientations, Cognitive,Orientations, Mental,Orientations, Psychological,Psychological Orientations
D010364 Pattern Recognition, Visual Mental process to visually perceive a critical number of facts (the pattern), such as characters, shapes, displays, or designs. Recognition, Visual Pattern,Visual Pattern Recognition
D011939 Mental Recall The process whereby a representation of past experience is elicited. Recall, Mental
D004193 Discrimination Learning Learning that is manifested in the ability to respond differentially to various stimuli. Discriminative Learning,Discrimination Learnings,Discriminative Learnings,Learning, Discrimination,Learning, Discriminative
D005556 Form Perception The sensory discrimination of a pattern, shape, or outline. Contour Perception,Contour Perceptions,Form Perceptions,Perception, Contour,Perception, Form,Perceptions, Contour,Perceptions, Form
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D012684 Sensory Thresholds The minimum amount of stimulus energy necessary to elicit a sensory response. Sensory Threshold,Threshold, Sensory,Thresholds, Sensory
D013028 Space Perception The awareness of the spatial properties of objects; includes physical space. Perception, Space,Perceptions, Space,Space Perceptions

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