title: Summation characteristics of the detection of compound gratings.
abstract: Many classical experiments have shown that two superimposed gratings are more easily detected than a single grating, in keeping with probability theory. Here we test the rules for the detection of 2-component compound gratings by extending the range of parameters used in previous experiments. Two complementary methods of deriving summation indices are described. Data are presented so that the conditions for the transition from probability to neural summation are easily identified. True probability summation occurs only when grating contrasts are carefully perceptually equalised and spatial frequency differs by more than a factor of 2. A wide range of contrast ratios of the component gratings were explored such that gratings were at different contrasts, relative to respective thresholds. We find clear evidence of suppressive interactions when the compound gratings are composed of a close to threshold low frequency component and a below-threshold higher spatial frequency component.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Vision and Optics (IVO), School of Health Sciences, University of Crete, Heraklion, Crete, Greece.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Plainis
authors.forename: N R A
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Parry
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Panorgias
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sapountzis
authors.forename: I J
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Murray
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015350:Contrast Sensitivity / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009039:Motion Perception / Q000502:physiology; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual / Q000502:physiology*; D010470:Perceptual Masking; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D011601:Psychophysics; D012684:Sensory Thresholds