title: The perceived speed of second-order motion and its dependence on stimulus contrast.
abstract: Speed matches were obtained, using a spatial two-alternative forced-choice task, between a second-order motion stimulus and a first-order motion stimulus. The second-order motion stimulus was composed of contrast-modulated noise [produced by multiplying two-dimensional (2-d), static noise by a drifting, one-dimensional (1-d) sinusoid]. The first-order motion stimulus was composed of luminance-modulated noise (produced by summing, rather than multiplying, 2-d noise and a drifting sine grafting). In Expt 1, the relationship between the perceived speed of first- and second-order motion was examined. The motion stimuli had the same spatial frequency (1 or 3 c/deg) and were equated for visibility by presenting them at the same multiple of direction-identification threshold. Over a range of physical speeds, the perceived speeds of the first-order and second-order motion stimuli were identical when their physical speeds were the same. In Expt 2, the effect of varying stimulus "contrast" (contrast modulation depth) on the perceived speed of second-order motion was examined. The contrast of the first-order motion stimulus was fixed and speed matches were obtained for second-order motion stimuli at several contrast modulation depths. The motion stimuli had the same spatial (1 or 4 c/deg) and temporal (5 or 20 Hz) frequencies. It was found that the perceived speed of second-order motion was approximately linearly related to log modulation depth. In agreement with previous studies we also confirmed that the perceived speed of first-order motion is similarly dependent on stimulus contrast (luminance modulation depth).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of London, Surrey, England.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ledgeway
authors.forename: A T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D015350:Contrast Sensitivity; D006801:Humans; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009039:Motion Perception; D011601:Psychophysics