Visual search for motion-in-depth: stereomotion does not 'pop out' from disparity noise.
In a visual search task, targets defined by motion or binocular disparity stand out effortlessly from stationary distractors ('pop-out'), suggesting that target and distractors are processed by different neural mechanisms. We used pop-out to explore whether motion directly toward or away from the observer (z-motion) is detected using binocular motion cues. A target moving laterally (x-motion) popped out amid stationary distractors with binocular disparity, but z-motion did not pop out. However, a small x-motion added to the target's z-motion caused it to pop out. We therefore suggest that the visual system may not be specifically sensitive to binocular motion differences.
Harris
J M
JM
Department of Psychology, University of Newcastle, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK. Julie.Harris@ed.ac.uk
McKee
S P
SP
Watamaniuk
S N
SN
D016477:Artifacts; D003463:Cues; D003867:Depth Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D009039:Motion Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D009949:Orientation / Q000502:physiology; D015348:Vision, Binocular / Q000502:physiology