Pattern discrimination of gaussian distributions of orientation and line length parameters

Abstract

The two pattern parameters, line length (L) and orientation (ϕ), have been salient in microelectrode studies and adaptation experiments with the vertebrate visual system, but have not been systematically examined in a pattern discrimination paradigm. It was argued that, because of their physiological importance, the detection of pattern differences should be predictable with known distributions of L arid ϕ, using naive Ss. It was also argued that the discriminability of the concatenation of L and ϕ (Lϕ) could be predicted from the individual L and ϕ performance results. Results indicated support for both hypotheses and also implied the L discriminations were more difficult than ϕ, using signal detection theory.