Journal article

Publication year: 2013

Journal: Journal of Vision

Volume number: 13

Issue number: 13

ISSN: 1534-7362

Open access status: Gold

DOI Link: https://doi.org/10.1167/13.13.7

Publisher: Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology

Abstract: 
In four experiments we investigated the perception of numerosity in the peripheral visual field. We found that the perceived numerosity of a peripheral cloud of dots was judged to be inferior to the one of a central cloud of dots, particularly when the dots were highly clustered. Blurring the stimuli accordingly to peripheral spatial frequency sensitivity did not abolish the effect and had little impact on numerosity judgments. In a dedicated control experiment we ruled out that the reduction in peripheral perceived numerosity is secondary to a reduction of perceived stimulus size. We suggest that visual crowding might be at the origin of the observed reduction in peripheral perceived numerosity, implying that numerosity could be partly estimated through the individuation of the elements populating the array.

Harvard Citation style: Valsecchi, M., Toscani, M. and Gegenfurtner, K. (2013) Perceived numerosity is reduced in peripheral vision, Journal of Vision, 13(13), Article 7. https://doi.org/10.1167/13.13.7

APA Citation style: Valsecchi, M., Toscani, M., & Gegenfurtner, K. (2013). Perceived numerosity is reduced in peripheral vision. Journal of Vision. 13(13), Article 7. https://doi.org/10.1167/13.13.7