Journal article

Publication year: 2017

Journal: Journal of Vision

Volume number: 17

Issue number: 9

ISSN: 1534-7362

Open access status: Gold

DOI Link: https://doi.org/10.1167/17.9.14

Publisher: Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology

Abstract: 
Peripheral viewing is characterized by poor resolution and distortions as compared to central viewing; nevertheless, when we move our gaze around, the visual scene does not appear to change. One possible mechanism leading to perceptual uniformity would be that peripheral appearance is extrapolated based on foveal information. Here we investigate foveal-toperipheral extrapolation in the case of the perceived brightness of an object's surface. While fixating a spot on the rendered object, observers were asked to adjust the brightness of a disc to match a peripherally viewed target area on the surface of the same object. Being forced to fixate a better illuminated point led to brighter matches as compared to fixating points in the shadow, indicating that foveal brightness information was extrapolated. When observers fixated additional points outside of the object on the scene's background, fixated brightness had no effect on the brightness match. Results indicate that our visual system uses the brightness of the foveally viewed surface area to estimate the brightness of areas in the periphery. However, this mechanism is selectively applied within an object's boundary.

Harvard Citation style: Toscani, M., Gegenfurtner, K. and Valsecchi, M. (2017) Foveal to peripheral extrapolation of brightness within objects, Journal of Vision, 17(9), Article 14. https://doi.org/10.1167/17.9.14

APA Citation style: Toscani, M., Gegenfurtner, K., & Valsecchi, M. (2017). Foveal to peripheral extrapolation of brightness within objects. Journal of Vision. 17(9), Article 14. https://doi.org/10.1167/17.9.14