V&C Seminar // "Perceptual unlearning of suppressed visual information”
Event details
| Date | 26.02.2015 |
| Hour | 14:00 |
| Speaker |
Mark Vergeer, Laboratory of Experimental Psychology, KU Leuven |
| Location | |
| Category | Conferences - Seminars |
Abstract: In visual perceptual learning, the ability to respond to visible stimuli generally improves through practice. The visual input on our retina, however, is intrinsically ambiguous, supporting a multitude of valid representations. The brain selects one out of many possible visual interpretations, and while that interpretation is then neurally enhanced, alternative interpretations will remain perceptually suppressed. I will present data, showing that not only visibility can improve through training, but that suppression can also be trained. After continuous, binocular suppression of the same stimulus presented to the same eye during training, sensitivity towards the suppressed stimulus becomes worse compared to untrained stimuli. In a follow-up experiment, a double training paradigm was used to test whether the mechanisms responsible for this kind of ‘perceptual unlearning’ take place within monocular or binocular visual cortical areas. These findings are indicative of the plasticity of inhibitory networks responsible for perceptual suppression. I will discuss these findings in relation to current views on learning mechanisms. During the remainder of my talk, I will present a recent, ongoing study in which we are interested in perceptual integration of visible and invisible parts of a perceived object representation. I will present data supporting the notion that complex 3D integration of different stimulus parts can occur also when some of the stimulus parts are not represented consciously.
Practical information
- Informed public
- Free
Organizer
- Prof. Michael Herzog, LPSY