Kinetic-depth reversals: some paths are easier than others

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Abstract:

<p>Visual perception builds on prior experience of the visual world. For example, a planar flow is often perceived as a moving volume (&ldquo;kinetic depth effect&rdquo;). Studying spontaneous and forced reversals of illusory kinetic depth in human observers, we found the timing of reversals to be highly selective and to reflect the physical plausibility of each transformation. Spontaneous transitions, in which illusory depth and rotation reverse together, occur almost exclusively when the shape is depth-symmetric. When reversals of illusory rotation and illusory depth are dissociated, they reveal very different dependencies on stimulus phase: reversals of illusory motion are inversely proportional to motion speed, while reversals of illusory depth depend on depth symmetry in an all or nothing fashion. A simple formula describes individual and joint probabilities of these reversals. Why should depth and rotation differ so dramatically? We suggest the most plausible explanation lies in the disparate physical plausibility of transforming depth and rotation. Taken together, this shows an even more pervasive role of prior experience than previously thought: it is not just the illusion of volume itself, but also the transition from one illusory volume to another that is conditioned by prior experience of physical transformations in the visual world.</p>

Pastukhov, Vonau, Braun - 2011 - Kinetic-depth reversals some paths are easier than others.pdf