Cite as:
Martin A, Werner A M C, 2006, "The motion aftereffect under scotopic conditions" Perception 35 ECVP Abstract Supplement

The motion aftereffect under scotopic conditions

A Martin, A M C Werner

Motion aftereffect (MAE) refers to the illusory movement of a physically stationary scene following exposure to visual motion. It has been extensively studied for photopic light conditions. Here we investigate the MAE for rod-related vision. Adaptation stimulus was a drifting (2 Hz) horizontal sine-wave grating (2 cycles deg^-1, luminance defined) which was presented on a CRT screen (adaptation time 30 s). In the test, the same pattern was presented in a stationary mode. The duration of the MAE was measured and compared for scotopic (0.04 cd m^-2) and photopic (42.5 cd m^-2) light levels, which were varied by means of neutral-density filters. Twenty-five subjects participated in the experiments. Their task was to indicate the duration of the perceived MAE by pressing a button. Ten trials per subject were carried out under each light condition. In both, photopic and scotopic, conditions subjects experienced different degrees of MAE. For 25% of the subjects, a significant increase of the duration of the MAE was measured under the scotopic condition as compared to the photopic MAE. The implications for the cortical processing of rod signals are discussed.
[Supported by a grant (Kr 1317/8) by the DFG.]

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