The effect of training on visual alignment discrimination and grating resolution.
The effect of training on an observer's ability to detect the misalignment of three points, a hyperacuity, and to resolve a six-line grating was studied in a transfer-of-training design with observers (4 in each of two experiments) who were experienced in making psychophysical judgments of other visual stimuli. The transfer-of-training design enabled us to look for any training-based improvement. Long periods of training produced no statistically significant improvement in performance under any condition. There were small practice-based improvements, but the primary patterns indicated threshold fluctuation rather than improvement. We interpret the results to indicate that the neural mechanisms underlying three-point alignment and grating discrimination, like those for gap bisection (Klein & Levi, 1985), are not malleable to any significant extent.
Bennett
R G
RG
Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley 94720.
Westheimer
G
G
D001288:Attention; D004192:Discrimination, Psychological; D006801:Humans; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual; D011214:Practice, Psychological; D014163:Transfer, Psychology; D014792:Visual Acuity; D014794:Visual Fields; D014796:Visual Perception