Abstract
Multiple motion-induced blindness (MIB) targets undergo visibility transitions (disappearance/reappearance) simultaneously when they can be grouped. Conversely, the visibility transitions of multiple targets occur independently when they are not easily grouped. It has been shown that multiple grouping cues can interact and differentially influence the accumulated duration of simultaneous target disappearance depending on the relative strength of each grouping cue. In the current study, we investigated the spatiotemporal relationship of the individual visibility transitions for multiple MIB targets as a function of the strengths of grouping cues. Specifically, we examined the relative timing of the disappearances/reappearances of two MIB targets as a function of their spatial proximity and feature similarity (orientation/color). Over the course of each trial, participants tracked the disappearances of two MIB targets by pressing and holding down two keys that were each assigned to one of the targets for the duration of their respective invisibility periods. The participants then released the key(s) once the corresponding target(s) reappeared. Disappearance event durations were defined as the elapsed time beginning from the moment a single target disappeared and ending once the other target disappeared when both targets were initially visible. Reappearance event durations were defined as the elapsed time beginning from the moment one target reappeared and ending once the other target reappeared when both targets were initially invisible. It was found that the mean elapsed time for multiple targets to sequentially disappear/reappear was briefer (more simultaneous) when grouping cues were strong compared to when grouping cues were weak. This result indicates that the spatiotemporal dynamics of multiple individual MIB target visibility transitions vary as a function of the strength of available grouping cues.
Meeting abstract presented at VSS 2017