Cite as:
Postma A, Kessels R P C, de Haan E H F, Mevissen F E F, 2000, "Colour and luminance interference effects on object and location recognition" Perception 29 ECVP Abstract Supplement

Colour and luminance interference effects on object and location recognition

A Postma, R P C Kessels, E H F de Haan, F E F Mevissen

There is substantial evidence for separate cerebral processing of visuospatial information and visual recognition. In this experiment we were interested in the relative contributions of the P channel and the M channel to these different processes.

We studied interference effects of colour or luminance peripheral flicker (in order to saturate either the parvocellular or the magnocellular stream) on object-identity and spatial-location memory. The results showed that colour flicker interfered with object-identity recognition, whereas luminance flicker affected memory for spatial location. Moreover, it was found that overall performance was worse if coloured compared to grey-scaled objects were used in the stimulus display. There was no selective effect of colour flicker affecting coloured objects and achromatic flicker affecting achromatic objects. These results provide strong evidence for the theoretical position that the 'what' pathway relies heavily on information derived from the P stream and the 'where' pathways on that derived from the M stream.

New research is currently being conducted on the stage during which interference is effective (during presentation or during a subsequent delay) and on the critical flicker frequencies.

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