Visual Masking: Time Slices through Conscious and Unconscious Vision (Oxford Psychology Series, 41)

Our visual system can process information at both conscious and unconscious levels. Understanding the factors that control whether a stimulus reaches our awareness, and the fate of those stimuli that remain at an unconscious level, are the major challenges of brain science in the new millennium. Since its publication in 1984, Visual Masking has established itself as a classic text in the field of cognitive psychology. In the years since, there have been considerable advances in the cognitive neurosciences, and a growth of interest in the topic of consciousness, and the time is ripe for a new edition of this text. Where most current approaches to the study of visual consciousness adopt a 'steady-state' view, the approach presented in this book explores its dynamic properties. This new edition uses the technique of visual masking to explore temporal aspects of conscious and unconscious processes down to a resolution in the millisecond range. The 'time slices' through conscious and unconscious vision revealed by the visual masking technique can shed light on both normal and abnormal operations in the brain.The main focus of this book is on the microgenesis of visual form and pattern perception - microgenesis referring to the processes occurring in the visual system from the time of stimulus presentation on the retinae to the time, a few hundred milliseconds later, of its registration at conscious or unconscious perceptual and behavioural levels. The book takes a highly integrative approach by presenting microgenesis within a broad context encompassing visuo-temporal phenomena, attention, and consciousness. Drawing On The 1984 Book But Incorporating Almost Entirely New Material, This Book Uses The Technique Of Visual Masking To Explore Temporal Aspects Of Conscious And Unconscious Processes. The 'time Slices' Through Conscious And Unconscious Vision Revealed By The Visual Masking Technique Can Shed Light On Both Normal And Abnormal Operations In The Brain. The Main Focus Of This Book Is On The Microgenesis Of Visual Form And Pattern Perception - Microgenesis Referring To The Processes Occurring In The Visual System From The Time Of Stimulus Presentation On The Retinae To The Time, A Few Hundred Milliseconds Later, Of Its Registration At Conscious Or Unconscious Perceptual And Behavioural Levels. The Book Takes A Highly Integrative Approach By Presenting Microgenesis Within A Broad Context Encompassing Visuo-temporal Phenomena, Attention, And Consciousness. Where Most Current Approaches To The Study Of Visual Consciousness Adopt A 'steady-state' View, The Approach Presented In This Book Explores Its Dynamic Properties Down To A Resolution In The Millisecond Range.--jacket. 1 A History Of Visual Masking -- 2 Methods, Applications, And Findings In Visual Pattern Masking -- 3 Neurobiological Correlates Of Visual Pattern Masking -- 4 Models And Mechanisms Of Visual Masking: A Selective Review And Comparison -- 5 The Sustained-transient Channel Approach To Visual Masking: An Updated Model -- 6 Metacontrast And Motion Perception -- 7 Figural Context And Attention In Visual Masking -- 8 Unconscious Processing Revealed By Visual Masking -- 9 Visual Masking In Selected Subject Populations. Bruno G. Breitmeyer And Haluk Öğmen. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [309]-361) And Index. Our visual system can process information at both conscious and unconscious levels. Understanding the factors that control whether a stimulus reaches our awareness, and the fate of those stimuli that remain at an unconscious level, are the major challenges of brain science in the new millennium. Since its publication in 1984, Visual Masking has established itself as a classic text in the field of cognitive psychology. In the years since, there have been considerable advances in the cognitive neurosciences, and a growth of interest in the topic of consciousness, and the time is ripe for a new edition of this text. Where most current approaches to the study of visual consciousness adopt a'steady-state'view, the approach presented in this book explores its dynamic properties. This new edition uses the technique of visual masking to explore temporal aspects of conscious and unconscious processes down to a resolution in the millisecond range. The'time slices'through conscious and unconscious vision revealed by the visual masking technique can shed light on both normal and abnormal operations in the brain. The main focus of this book is on the microgenesis of visual form and pattern perception - microgenesis referring to the processes occurring in the visual system from the time of stimulus presentation on the retinae to the time, a few hundred milliseconds later, of its registration at conscious or unconscious perceptual and behavioural levels. The book takes a highly integrative approach by presenting microgenesis within a broad context encompassing visuo-temporal phenomena, attention, and consciousness. Contents......Page 10 Abbreviations......Page 12 1 A history of visual masking......Page 14 2 Methods, applications, and findings in visual pattern masking......Page 44 3 Neurobiological correlates of visual pattern masking......Page 94 4 Models and mechanisms of visual masking: a selective review and comparison......Page 112 5 The sustained–transient channel approach to visual masking: an updated model......Page 154 6 Metacontrast and motion perception......Page 232 7 Figural context and attention in visual masking......Page 248 8 Unconscious processing revealed by visual masking......Page 266 9 Visual masking in selected subject populations......Page 300 Epilogue......Page 310 Appendix A......Page 314 Appendix B......Page 320 References......Page 322 B......Page 376 F......Page 377 L......Page 378 M......Page 379 P......Page 380 S......Page 381 T......Page 382 Y......Page 383 Our visual system can process information at both conscious and unconscious levels. Understanding the factors that control whether a stimulus reaches our awareness, and the fate of those stimuli that remain at an unconscious level, are the major challenges of brain science in the new millennium. The substantially revised new edition of this classic text explores temporal aspects of both conscious and unconscious processes. Focusses on the microgenesis of visual form and pattern perception. This edition uses the technique of visual masking to explore temporal aspects of conscious and unconscious processes down to a resolution in the millisecond range. It presents microgenesis within a broad context encompassing visuo-temporal phenomena, attention, and consciousness.