Nonmonotone backward masking functions and brightness reversals

Alan L. Stewart, Dean G. Purcell, Roger S. Pinkham

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

5 Scopus citations

Abstract

Increasing the target-field luminance aids detection for a simultaneously presented black target disc and a black masking annulus. At an intermediate interval separating the onset of the target from the mask, increasing the target-field luminance reduces target detection. This decrease in performance occurs with both temporal and spatial forced choice tasks. With a spatial forced choice, an observer's performance can fall below chance. We associate below-chance performance with a brightness reversal of the black target disc, such that the target disc appears brighter than its surround. The occurrence of brightness reversals follows from our model of the Broca-Sulzer effect, and nonmonotone masking functions result from a generalization of luminance summation.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2180-2196
Number of pages17
JournalAttention, Perception, and Psychophysics
Volume73
Issue number7
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 2011

Keywords

  • Brightness reversal
  • Broca-Sulzer effect
  • Metacontrast masking
  • U-shaped functions
  • Visual backward masking

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