The Institute for Mathematical Behavioral Sciences Colloquium Series presents:

"Toward a Theory of the Perception of Motion Direction: Plaids"
with George Sperling, UC Irvine

November 5, 2009
4:00-5:00 p.m.
Social Science Plaza A, Room 2112

Abstract:
As with most biological processes, the more the visual computation of the perceived direction of a moving visual stimulus has been studied, the more complex it has turned out to be.  Studies of the motion of simple sinewave gratings revealed three motion-analysis systems (first-, second- and third-order motion). Combinations of two moving sinewaves (called plaids) have led to hundreds more, perhaps thousands more publications, but to no defensible theories.  The three-systems theory of motion-direction perception will be reviewed (with demonstrations).  It is then shown that, when plaid stimuli are directed exclusively to the first-order motion system (by using only stimuli with very high temporal frequencies), the plaid combination rule is remarkably simple and robust.  Parameter-free, a priori predictions of the perceived direction of new plaid stimuli account for 99% of the variance of the data once the experiments are actually performed.  The perceived motion direction of slower (lower temporal frequency plaids) is shown to consist of two components, first-order plus third-order, with zero contribution from the second-order system.  The methods described herein ultimately can yield complete descriptions of the first- and third-order motion systems.  

For further information, please contact Janet Phelps, jjphelps@uci.edu.