Inhibitory competition between shape properties in figure-ground perception.
Theories of figure-ground perception entail inhibitory competition between either low-level units (edge or feature units) or high-level shape properties. Extant computational models instantiate the 1st type of theory. The authors investigated a prediction of the 2nd type of theory: that shape properties suggested on the ground side of an edge are suppressed when they lose the figure-ground competition. In Experiment 1, the authors present behavioral evidence of the predicted suppression: Object decisions were slower for line drawings that followed silhouettes suggesting portions of objects from the same rather than a different category on their ground sides. In Experiment 2, the authors reversed the silhouette's figure-ground relationships and obtained speeding rather than slowing in the same category condition, thereby demonstrating that the Experiment 1 results reflect suppression of those shape properties that lose the figure-ground competition. These experiments provide the first clear empirical evidence that figure-ground perception entails inhibitory competition between high-level shape properties and demonstrate the need for amendments to existing computational models. Furthermore, these results suggest that figure-ground perception may itself be an instance of biased competition in shape perception.
Peterson
Mary A
MA
Department of Psychology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA. mapeters@u.arizona.edu
Skow
Emily
E
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D019295:Computational Biology; D004192:Discrimination, Psychological / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005366:Figural Aftereffect; D005556:Form Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007266:Inhibition, Psychological; D008297:Male; D008959:Models, Neurological; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual / Q000502:physiology; D010470:Perceptual Masking / Q000502:physiology*; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology*; D021641:Recognition, Psychology / Q000502:physiology; D012016:Reference Values