Complementary problems: the development of hyperacuity and motion perception in infants

Abstract

Studies of the development of hyperacuity and motion perception in infants afford a splendid opportunity to examine longitudinally the visual factors which contribute to these visual functions. Adult hyperacuity is thought to depend on resolution acuity, contrast sensitivity, and spatial sampling. The developmental time course of hyperacuity in infants is compared with the development of acuity and contrast sensitivity, and with the maturation of the fovea. Stereoacuity and Vernier acuity follow similar developmental time courses in infants. While psychophysical evidence in adults demonstrates that stereo and Vernier acuity have different physiological substrates, the strong correlation during infancy indicates that they may be limited by a common factor during development.