From interpretation to segmentation.
In visual perception, part segmentation of an object is considered to be guided by image-based properties, such as occurrences of deep concavities in the outer contour. However, object-based properties can also provide information regarding segmentation. In this study, outer contours and interpretations of object configurations were manipulated to examine differences between image-based and object-based segmentation in a visual search task. We found that locating a two-dimensional object configuration with deep concavities in the outer contour depends on the type of outer contour of the surrounding distractors. In addition, locating a three-dimensional object configuration was harder when it was surrounded by object-based-disconnected distractors, as compared with object-based-connected distractors, regardless of image-based connections in these distractors. We conclude that segmentation based on the outer contours of a target facilitates its localization. However, when three-dimensional information is available, segmentation strongly depends on object-based properties, rather than on image-based properties.
Koning
Arno
A
Radboud Universiteit Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. arno.koning@psy.kuleuven.be
van Lier
Rob
R
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005556:Form Perception; D006801:Humans; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual; D014796:Visual Perception