Perceptual ambiguity and the short wavelength sensitive visual pathway

Abstract

Visual illusions and ambiguous figures are difficult to perceive when presented in a manner which stimulates only chromatic pathways. This perceptual limitation could indicate that these pathways are unable to mediate form perception, or it may reflect the relative visibility of the stimulus, regardless of the pathway utilized. To examine this issue, an ambiguous figure (illusory Necker cube) was presented to the short wavelength sensitive (S) cone pathway which is thought to convey only chromatic signals. Although few observers could recognize the cube when presented in isolation to S cones, the same reduction in recognition was found when the cube was detected by achromatic pathways at a level of visibility comparable to that conveyed by S cones. Our results indicate that for this object recognition task, visibility of the stimulus is the relevant variable, rather than the particular pathway traversed. Prior experience was also found to be important determinant of object recognition.