Pulling the other one: 1st- and 2nd-order visual information interact to determine perceived location
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Updated: Aug 30, 2026

Methods to Explore the Influence of Top-down Visual Processes on Motor Behavior
Published on: April 16, 2014
David Whitaker1, Paul V McGraw, David R T Keeble
1Department of Optometry, University of Bradford, Richmond Road, Bradford BD7 1DP, West Yorkshire, UK. d.j.whitaker@bradford.ac.uk
Abstract:
We demonstrate that the 1st- and 2nd-order characteristics of a visual stimulus can have a profound influence on each other in terms of perceived position. We use the parameter of spatial separation to selectively manipulate the effect of one characteristic upon the other. 1st-order features have their largest effect upon the perceived position of 2nd-order structure when separation is small, whilst the reciprocal effect is maximal at large separations. Implications for models of 1st- and 2nd-order interaction are discussed.
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