Visual scene segmentation is the cognitive ability to group stimulus features within distinct objects and surfaces and to segregate these features when they arise from different objects or surfaces in a manner that promotes a biologically useful representation of the visual scene. At least some aspects of this process can proceed automatically without the participant's awareness (Kastner, De Weerd, & Ungerleider,
2000; Schira, Fahle, Donner, Kraft, & Brandt,
2004; Scholte, Witteveenm, Spekreijse, & Lamme,
2006; Schubo, Meinecke, & Schroger,
2001). However, it has also been reported that conscious processing of scene attributes involves additional, longer latency processing after stimulus presentation (Boehler, Schoenfeld, Heinze, & Hopf,
2008; Caputo & Casco,
1999; Casco, Grieco, Campana, Corvino, & Caputo,
2005; Fahrenfort, Scholte, & Lamme,
2008; Heinrich, Andres, & Bach,
2007; Scholte et al.,
2006; Schubo et al.,
2001), possibly occurring in higher order visual areas (Kastner et al.,
2000; Schira et al.,
2004; Scholte et al.,
2006).