How does information from low and high spatial frequencies interact during scene categorization?

Louise Kauffmann,Alexia Roux-Sibilon,Brice Beffara,Martial Mermillod,Nathalie Guyader,Carole Peyrin

doi:10.1080/13506285.2017.1347590

Abstract

ABSTRACTCurrent models of visual perception suggest that, during scene categorization, low spatial frequencies (LSF) are rapidly processed and activate plausible interpretations of visual input. This coarse analysis would be used to guide subsequent processing of high spatial frequencies (HSF). The present study aimed to further examine how information from LSF and HSF interact and influence each other during scene categorization. In a first experimental session, participants had to categorize LSF and HSF filtered scenes belonging to two different semantic categories (artificial vs. natural). In a second experimental session, we used hybrid scenes as stimuli made by combining LSF and HSF from two different scenes which were semantically similar or dissimilar. Half of the participants categorized LSF scenes in hybrids, and the other half categorized HSF scenes in hybrids. Stimuli were presented for 30 or 100 ms. Session 1 results showed better performance for LSF than HSF scene categorization. Session 2 scene categorization was faster when participants attended and categorized LSF than HSF scene in hybrids. The semantic interference of a semantically dissimilar HSF scene on LSF scene categorization was greater than the semantic interference of a semantically dissimilar LSF scene on HSF scene categorization, irrespective of exposure duration. These results suggest a LSF advantage for scene categorization, and highlight the prominent role of HSF information when there is uncertainty about the visual stimulus, in order to disentangle between alternative interpretations.

Highlights

At a glance, the human visual system is able to robustly process and categorize complex stimuli such as natural scenes (e.g., Thorpe, Fize, & Marlot, 1996), despite their infinite variability in terms of objects they contained, or their spatial configuration
Results on individual Lower spatial frequencies (LSF) and high spatial frequencies (HSF) scenes (Session 1) revealed that participants were able to accurately categorize the LSF and HSF scenes when presented alone at all exposure durations. This allowed us to ensure that the semantic information contained in the LSF and HSF scenes used in hybrids could be accurately extracted even at short exposure duration of 30 ms
The present study revealed a semantic interference of HSF information on the categorization of attended LSF scenes (LSFAttention condition), and that the semantic interference effect was greater in the LSF than HSF attentional condition, suggesting that information from HSF interfered more strongly with LSF scene categorization than the other way around

Summary

Introduction

The human visual system is able to robustly process and categorize complex stimuli such as natural scenes (e.g., Thorpe, Fize, & Marlot, 1996), despite their infinite variability in terms of objects they contained, or their spatial configuration. Converging data from neurophysiological recordings in primates (Bullier, 2001; De Valois, Albrecht, & Thorell, 1982; Poggio, 1972; Shams & von der Malsburg, 2002; Shapley & Lennie, 1985; Van Essen & Deyoe, 1995) and psychophysical studies in human (Hughes, Nozawa, & Kitterle, 1996; Parker, Lishman, & Hughes, 1996; Schyns & Oliva, 1994; for a review see Sowden & Schyns, 2006) indicate that the visual system extract visual information through a set of channels/ filters differently tuned to specific orientations and spatial frequency bands of the visual input Based on these data, current models of visual perception have emphasized the role of spatial frequency information for visual categorization (Bar, 2003; Hegdé, 2008; Kauffmann, Ramanoël, & Peyrin, 2014; Peyrin et al, 2010).

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Discussion

Conclusion