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Contour effects in figure perception

Contour effects in figure perception Three experiments were performed to test the hypothesis that a target line that forms an outer contour of a stimulus figure is detected better than an internal target line. In the first experiment tridimensional stimuli similar to the object stimuli of Weisstein and Harris (1974), were used. In the second and third experiments arrows and triangles were used as stimuli, composed of one of the four right angles of a square and a diagonal. In the first two experiments the diagonal lines served as targets, and external diagonal lines were detected better than internal diagonals or diagonals without context. In the third experiment the right angles served as targets; these were detected better in arrows than in triangles or without the context diagonal. In each experiment the targets formed vertices and intersections with other line segments of the stimulus. It is argued that these local configurational features facilitated target detection by automatically attracting attention, particularly if they were located at the boundaries of the stimulus figure. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Psychological Research Springer Journals

Contour effects in figure perception

Psychological Research , Volume 43 (4) – Aug 24, 2004

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References (19)

Publisher
Springer Journals
Copyright
Copyright © 1981 by Springer-Verlag
Subject
Psychology; Psychology Research
ISSN
0340-0727
eISSN
1430-2772
DOI
10.1007/BF00309221
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Three experiments were performed to test the hypothesis that a target line that forms an outer contour of a stimulus figure is detected better than an internal target line. In the first experiment tridimensional stimuli similar to the object stimuli of Weisstein and Harris (1974), were used. In the second and third experiments arrows and triangles were used as stimuli, composed of one of the four right angles of a square and a diagonal. In the first two experiments the diagonal lines served as targets, and external diagonal lines were detected better than internal diagonals or diagonals without context. In the third experiment the right angles served as targets; these were detected better in arrows than in triangles or without the context diagonal. In each experiment the targets formed vertices and intersections with other line segments of the stimulus. It is argued that these local configurational features facilitated target detection by automatically attracting attention, particularly if they were located at the boundaries of the stimulus figure.

Journal

Psychological ResearchSpringer Journals

Published: Aug 24, 2004

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