Previous work (Harris and Giachritsis 2000, Vision Research40 601–611) has shown that, when global and local image expansion are placed in conflict, estimates of time-to-contact (TTC) are based almost exclusively upon global expansion. Here we extend this finding by demonstrating that global image expansion continues to predominate even under conditions that seem more favourable to a local analysis. We added a global rotation to the stimulus so that the global pattern of expansion was distorted while leaving the local expansion unaffected. Even under relatively high rotation rates (30° s−1), local expansion continued to have little systematic effect upon estimates of TTC.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
AndersenR AGrazianoMSnowdenR, 1991“Selectivity of area MST neurons for expansion/contraction and rotation motions”Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science32(4) 823 (abstract)
2.
BanksM SEhrlichS MBackusB TCrowellJ A, 1996“Estimating heading during real and simulated eye movements”Vision Research36431–443
3.
BootsmaRCraigC, 2002“Global and local contributions to the optical specification of time to contact: Observer sensitivity to composite tau”Perception31901–924
4.
BrussA RHornB K P, 1983“Passive navigation”Computer Vision, Graphics, and Image Processing213–20
5.
DuffyC JWurtzR H, 1991a“Sensitivity of MST neurons to optic flow stimuli. I. A continuum of response selectivity to large-field stimuli”Journal of Neurophysiology651329–1345
6.
DuffyC JWurtzR H, 1991b“Sensitivity of MST neurons to optic flow stimuli. II. Mechanisms of response selectivity revealed by small-field stimuli”Journal of Neurophysiology651346–1359
7.
ErnstM OBanksM S, 2002“Humans integrate visual and haptic information in a statistically optimal fashion”Nature415429–433
ErnstM OBülthoffH H, 2002“Merging senses into a robust percept”Trends in Cognitive Sciences8429–433
10.
FreemanT C AHarrisM GTylerP A, 1994“Human sensitivity to temporal proximity: the role of spatial and temporal speed gradients”Perception & Psychophysics55689–699
11.
GeorgesonM AFreemanT C AScott-SamuelN E, 1996“Subpixel accuracy: psychophysical validation of an algorithm for fine positioning and movement of dots on visual displays”Vision Research36605–612
12.
GibsonJ J, 1950The Perception of the Visual World (Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin)
13.
GrazianoM S AAndersenR ASnowdenR, 1994“Tuning of MST neurons to spiral motion”Journal of Neuroscience1454–67
14.
GrayRReganD, 1999“Motion in depth: adequate and inadequate simulation”Perception & Psychophysics61236–245
15.
HarrisM GFreemanT C AHughesJ, 1992“Retinal speed gradients and the perception of surface slant”Vision Research32587–590
16.
HarrisM GGiachritsisC D, 2000“Coarse-grained information dominates fine-grained information in judgments of time-to-contact from retinal flow”Vision Research40601–611
17.
HornB K PSchunkB G, 1981“Determining optic flow”Artificial Intelligence17185–204
18.
KaiserM KMowafyL, 1993“Optical specification of time-to-passage: observers' sensitivity to global tau”Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance191028–1040
19.
KoenderinkJ J, 1985“Space form and optical deformations”, in Brain Mechanisms and Spatial Vision Eds IngleD TJeannerodMLeeD N (Dordrecht: Martinus Nijhoff) pp 32–58
KoenderinkJ Jvan DoornA J, 1975“Invariant properties of the motion parallax field due to the movement of rigid bodies relative to the observer”Optica Acta22773–791
22.
KoenderinkJ Jvan DoornA J, 1981“Exterospecific component of the motion parallax field”Journal of the Optical Society of America71953–957
23.
LagaeLMaesHRalguelSXiaoDOrbanG A, 1994“Responses of macaque STS neurons to optic flow components: a comparison of areas MT and MST”Journal of Neurophysiology711597–1626
24.
LagaeLXiaoDRalguelSMaesHOrbanG A, 1991“Position invariance of optic flow component selectivity differentiates monkey MST and FST cells from MT cells”Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science32(4) 823 (abstract)
25.
LeeD N, 1976“A theory of visual control of braking based on information about time-to-collision”Perception5437–459
26.
Longuet-HigginsH C, 1984“The visual ambiguity of a moving plane”Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, Series B223165–175
27.
Longuet-HigginsH CPrazdnyK, 1980“The interpretation of a moving retinal image”Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, Series B208385–397
28.
OrbanG ALagaeLVerriARalguelSXiaoDMaesHTorreV, 1992“First-order analysis of optical flow in monkey brain”Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA892595–2599
29.
te PasS FKappersA M LKoenderinkJ J, 1996“Detection of first-order structure in optic flow fields”Vision Research36259–270
30.
SaitoHYukieMTanakaKHikosakaKFukadaYIwaiE, 1986“Integration of direction signals of image motion in the superior temporal sulcus of the macaque monkey”Journal of Neuroscience6145–157
31.
StoneL SPerroneJ A, 1997“Human heading estimation during visually simulated curvilinear motion”Vision Research37573–590
32.
TanakaKFukadaYSaitoH, 1989“Underlying mechanisms of expansion/contraction and rotation cells in the dorsal part of the medial superior temporal area of the macaque monkey”Journal of Neurophysiology62641–656
33.
TanakaKSaitoH, 1989“Analysis of the visual field by direction, expansion/contraction and rotation cells clustered in the dorsal part of the medial superior temporal area of the macaque monkey”Journal of Neurophysiology62626–641
34.
TresilianJ R, 1991“Empirical and theoretical issues in the perception of time to contact”Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance17865–876
35.
VincentAReganD, 1997“Judging time to collision with a simulated textured object: Effect of mismatching rate of expansion of object size and of texture element size”Perception & Psychophysics5932–36
36.
WarrenW HHannonD J, 1990“Eye movements and optical flow”Journal of the Optical Society of America A7160–169
37.
WarrenW HMestreD RBlackwellA WMorrisM W, 1991“Perception of circular heading from optical flow”Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance1728–43
