Figural Aftereffects Research Articles

EFFECTS OF TEMPORAL ORDER OF STIMULUS PRESENTATION ON THE DIRECTION OF FIGURAL AFTEREFFECTS.

An investigation into the aftereffects of simultaneously presented parallel contours was carried out to demonstrate the attraction of these contours. These attraction effects contrasted significantly with the repulsion effects obtained in the orthodox figural-aftereffect situation. An interpretation was offered in terms of the interaction of separate processes of primary adaptation and in terms of more complex processes of temporal comparison.

EFFECTS OF EXPOSURE VARIABLES ON FIGURAL AFTEREFFECTS UNDER TACHISTOSCOPIC PRESENTATION.

EFFECTS OF EXPOSURE VARIABLES ON FIGURAL AFTEREFFECTS UNDER TACHISTOSCOPIC PRESENTATION.

VISUAL FIGURAL AFTEREFFECTS IN RETARDED ADULTS.

VISUAL FIGURAL AFTEREFFECTS IN RETARDED ADULTS.

SOME LABORATORY MEASURES OF EXTRAVERSION-INTROVERSION.

The Maudsley Personality Inventory was given to a pool of 309 Ss from which three groups were selected along the extraversion dimension, two to represent each extreme (extravert N = 20, introvert N = 19), and an intermediate group ( N = 19). The three groups were equated for neuroticism. Ss were tested on the following measures: time-judgment, breath-holding, digit repetition, line reproduction, leg persistence, set change, kinaesthetic figural after-effect, and size constancy. Extraverts were superior in breath-holding, had a longer time span in digit repetition, showed longer leg persistence, greater variability in line reproduction, a tendency to underestimation in time judgment, but were inferior in arithmetic computation under slow set change conditions. No significant difference between extraverts and introverts was observed in the kinaesthetic figural after-effect or in size constancy.

A statistical learning model for figural after-effects

A statistical learning model for figural after-effects is developed, and applied to an analysis of the major experimental findings. The model associates background regions with populations of stimulus elements, from which samples are drawn and conditioned on successive theoretical trials. The distance paradox, considered crucial by previous theorists, is explicitly derived from statistical learning principles. A behavioral interpretation of the model in terms of conditioned eye movements is suggested.

Evidence for a Relationship between Figural After-Effects and After-Images

Kohler and Wallach report noticing after-images of inspection-figures (I-figures) during the prolonged fixation of the I-figure which is necessary to produce a figural after-effect (FAE).1 It is conceivable that the distortion in the test-figure (T figure) is dependent on the presence of this after-image. Both Kohler and Wallach and Gibson have, however, demonstrated that in a sense the FAE is independent of the eye stimulated.2 That is, S can fixate the I-figure with one eye and the T-figure with the other eye, and a FAE will still be reported. Kohler and others have used this sort of evidence to argue that any theory of retinal fatigue could not account for the distortion of the T-figure in the FAE-situation.3 Retinal fatigue, hence the after-image, is restricted to a particular place on a particular retina. It is, therefore, impossible by this theory to explain the distortion of a T-figure presented to the right eye when any afterimage of the I-figure is in the left eye. It has been demonstrated, however, that after-images show interocular transfer.4 Evidence therefore, exists proving Kohler and Wallach wrong on this issue of transfer of retinal fatigue. Before, one could use the theory of retinal fatigue to explain FAE, however, other features besides the interocular transfer of after-images must be shown. There are several sets of results in the literature which demonstrate that it is the retinal size of the stimuli which determines the direction of distortion of FAE, that this law of retinal size resembles Emmert's law, and that there is no discernible FAE when retinal sizes of

Tracking the decay of the after-effect of seen rotary movement.

It is not certain whether the after-effect of seen movement should be classified as a figural after-effect. Smith (1945, 1952) assumes that it should, and criticises the Koehler-Wallach and Osgood-Heyer theories of figural after-effects because they do not predict the movement after-effect. According both to the physiological theory hinted at by Sutherland (1961) and to the psychophysical theory proposed by Taylor ( 1962 ) , the movemenc after-effect should behave in the same way as static f i g ~ ~ r a l fter-effects. On the other hand, Day, et al. (1959) conclude thac the movemenc after-effect may nor behave in the same way as the static figural after-effects. In making their generalizations, however, Day, et dl . did not take into account many Japanese studies on figural aftereffects, for example, those of Ikeda and Obonai (1953a; 1953b; 1955a; 1955b), Nozawa (1953), Oyama (1953; 1956), Suro and Ikeda (1957). The Japanese studies yield certain generalizations at variance with the usual Western description of the time course of figural after-effects. The apparent contradiction between them and the Western description has been shown to be due to misinterpretation of the Western data (Taylor, 1962). For inspection periods longer than 100 msec., the amount of after-effect immediately following the end of the inspeccion period is independent of the length of the inspeccion period. For shorter inspection periods, the immediate after-effect increases with inspeccion time. According to the psychophysical theory (Taylor, 1962) the critical period of 100 msec. represents the time over which acuity continues to increase. So long as acuity increases with inspection time, so should the immediate after-effect. For inspection periods longer than 1 sec., the decay of the after-effect is exponential, with a time constant proportional to the square root of the inspection time. The decay has not been studied for shorter inspection periods, but according to the psychophysical theory the square root law should hold down to an inspection time of 100 msec. The Western idea that the amount of immediate after-effect increases with inspection time up to as much as 90 sec. is due to the fact thac the determination of the after-effect was delayed by 6 to 8 sec. in the two Western studies chat have attempted to invescigace the question (Gibson & Radner, 1937; Hammer, 1949). A further generalization, in which Japanese and Western descriptions

Application of the sensory-tonic theory of perception to figural after-effect

Current theoretical positions concerned with figural after-effects were criticized for their inadequacy in accounting for figural after-effects data and for their failure to link these phenomena with other perceptual phenomena in any systematic fashion. On the basis of the relative broadness of Gibson's early formulation, it was decided to adapt a similar adaptation theory, the sensory-tonic field theory of perception, to figural after-effect displacements. Appropriate hypotheses were stated and predictions made. These were tested and confirmed. It was concluded that although the success of the theory is limited, there appears to be hope for its extension.

Effect of post-inspection delay upon kinesthetic figural aftereffects.

Effect of post-inspection delay upon kinesthetic figural aftereffects.

Numerical prediction of a simple figural aftereffect as a function of the contrast of the inspection figure.

Numerical prediction of a simple figural aftereffect as a function of the contrast of the inspection figure.

A figural aftereffect produced by a phenomenal dichotomy in a uniform contour.

A figural aftereffect produced by a phenomenal dichotomy in a uniform contour.

Figural After-Effects, Personality, and Inter-Sensory Comparisons

Figural After-Effects, Personality, and Inter-Sensory Comparisons

On the relation between induced and residual kinesthetic after-effects.

Retention of figural after-effects over varying periods of time has been reported by a number of investigators (Gibson, 1933; Koehler 8: Wallach, 1944; Koehler & Dinnerstein, 1947; Koehler & Fishback, 1950; Gardner, 1961; Wertheimer & Leventhal, 1958). T he existence of residual after-effects suggests an analogy with retention of learned material. If amount of material retained is related to amount of material learned, then it is meaningful to ask whether in the after-effect situation, the amount of retained or residual afcer-effect is related to the size of the afcer-effect induced earlier. The present study was designed to determine whether there exists a relationship between the size of an induced kinesthetic after-effect and the size of [he residual after-effect. METHOD Appauatas.-The apparatus consisted of three wooden blocks: (1 ) a scandard block 1.5 in. wide, 60 in. long, and 2 in. thick; (2) a tapered block, 60 in. long, and 2 in. thick, varying in width from 1 in. to 2% in. and changing at the rate of 1/32 in. per inch, and (3) an inspection-block, 0.5 in. wide, 24 in. long, and 2 in. thick. The three blocks were mounted on tables 36 in. high and parallel to each other. The standard block and the inspection-block were at the side of S's non-preferred hand and the tapered variable-width block was at the side of S's preferred hand. The tapered block was fitted with an H-shaped rider within which S placed his thumb and forefinger while making equality judgments. Procedare.-The apparatus was used to obtain measures of the apparent widch of the standard block. S was to find a widch between the thumb and forefinger on the tapered block which felt equal to the width of the standard block held in the other hand. The measure of point of subjective equality (PSE) was the mean of four judgments made alternately from points 1.25 in. wide or 1.75 in. wide. An inspection-period interposed between two measures of PSE allowed for a measure of the kinesthetic after-effect. During inspection S, while holding the inspection-block between the thumb and forefinger of his nonpreferred hand, moved the hand back and forth along the block at a prescribed rate and for a prescribed time. The other hand was held flat on a table. The difference between the pre-inspection PSE and the post-inspection PSE constitutes the measure of the kinesthetic after-effect. Ss were blindfolded while making judgments and during the inspeccion-period.

An Apparatus for Recording Figural After-Effects

A simple apparatus is described by which Figural After-effects may be recorded directly from the subject's adjustments of a test figure. Curves which have been recorded confirm the results of other workers obtained by more laborious methods.

Amount and Rate of Decay of Visual Figural After-Effect as Functions of Type of Inspection-Stimulus and Inspection-Time

Amount and Rate of Decay of Visual Figural After-Effect as Functions of Type of Inspection-Stimulus and Inspection-Time

Senescence and figural after-effects in two modalities.

Senescence and figural after-effects in two modalities.

Note on Visual and Figural Aftereffects in the Brain Damaged

concepts may be applied. He suggests that the arrival in the visual cortex of nerve impulses resulting from a visual stimulus establishes electromotive forces, which set up potentials in the cortical tissue, causing polarization of the cell masses. The resulting stare of electrotonus opposes further flow of such current. Where the initial ease of transmission or conductivity is greatest, this process (satiation) will be most marked. When visual stimulation ends, a process of depolarization occurs, leading to the brief appearance of a negative reverse image. Thus, where conductivity is greatest, satiation will be maximum and the reverse image of the spiral will be seen. Where conductivity is lowest, polarization, electrotonus, and satiation will be minimal; depolariza[ion will be less intense; and the reversal effect of the spiral will be less likely to appear. The notion that brain injury is associated with a change in cortical conductivity has been advanced by Klein and Krech (Z), who discuss particularly the effect of the distortion of a secondarily introduced figure by a preceding percept. They postulate that Ss with low basal conductivity in the central nervous system become satiated more slowly and recover from satiation leu quickly. Thus, if brain damage is associated with low conductivity, distortion of a second percept by residuals of the preceding percept will be more marked. Also, the spontaneous type of aftereffect will be less marked, as our finding indicates.

The effects of meprobamate on kinesthetic figural after-effects.

The effects of 800 mg. meprobamate on kinesthetic figural after‐effects were investigated. There was a tendency for subjects to overestimate the test block width during pre‐stimulation trials. This tendency was found to be negatively correlated with extraversion as measured by the M.P.I. (1959). Meprobamate reduced the tendency of subjects to overestimate the test block width during pre‐stimulation trials and also reduced the size of the figural after‐effects produced by rubbing a stimulus block wider than the test block. Results for ascending and descending trials were analysed separately and the above effects were found only in the case of the descending trials. The effect of the interpolated stimulus block in producing figural after‐effects is discussed in terms of the changing of the frame of reference set up between the test block and comparison block. Extraversion was not significantly correlated with any of the measures of figural after‐effect.

A note on figural after-effects and AGF

A note on figural after-effects and AGF

Figural after-effects: a psychophysical theory of the displacement effect.

Figural after-effects: a psychophysical theory of the displacement effect.