The time-course of chromatic facilitation by luminance contours

• Published in: Vision research (Oxford) Vol. 34; no. 23; pp. 3139 - 3144
• Main Authors: Eskew, Rhea T., Stromeyer, Charles F., Kronauer, Richard E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.12.1994; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Chromatic facilitation; Color Perception - physiology; Color vision; Contour-color interactions; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Luminance contour; Male; Perception; Perceptual Masking - physiology; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Psychometrics; Sensory Thresholds - physiology; Temporal properties; Time Factors; Vision; Contour-color interactions; Luminance contour; Color vision; Temporal properties; Chromatic facilitation; Facilitation; Human; Perception threshold; Edge boundary; Color; Psychophysics; Experimental study; Stimulus luminance; Visual stimulus; Detection threshold; Stimulus duration; Perception; Time analysis
• ISSN: 0042-6989; 1878-5646
• DOI: 10.1016/0042-6989(94)90079-5

The threshold for detecting an equiluminant chromatic spot is approximately halved by the presentation of a coincident, suprathreshold luminance pedestal flash. The dynamics of this facilitation were studied by varying the duration and temporal asynchrony of the chromatic test flash and luminance pedestal. Facilitation occurs in a narrow temporal window near the chromatic test presentation; masking may occur when the pedestal is temporally displaced from the test by longer times. The mechanism producing facilitation lags behind the chromatic signal by at least 20 msec.