Double fusion does not occur in Panum's limiting case: evidence from orientation disparity.

Abstract

When two lines of different orientations are combined in regular stereograms, the orientation of the resulting line is different from those of the monocular lines. In this study we investigate the percept elicited by orientation disparity in Panum's limiting case. A variant of Panum's limiting case was designed to include orientation disparity. The single line in one half-image tilted leftwards. One of the double lines in the other half-image was parallel to the single line, while the other one tilted rightwards with obliquity one third that of the single line. In this stimulus configuration, if the single line in one half-image fuses with both lines in the other half-image at the same time, both of the two lines perceived after fusion should tilt leftwards. If double fusion does not happen, the two lines should tilt leftwards and rightwards respectively. The results of this study are in agreement with the latter prediction, which implies that double fusion does not occur in this variant of Panum's limiting case.