Time-to-contact judgments of an approaching object that is partially concealed by an occluder

Prior studies of time-to-contact (TTC) focused on judgments of unoccluded approaching objects. P. R. DeLucia, M. K. Kaiser, J. M. Bush, L. E. Meyer, and B. T. Sweet (2003) showed that partial occlusion decreases an object's optical size and expansion rate and that the value of tau derived from the reduced optical size (relative rate of accretion; RRA) does not necessarily correspond to TTC. In the present study, a computer-generated object approached the observer while unoccluded or partially concealed by a stationary or moving occluder. In some scenes, the occluder's motion nullified the object's optical expansion. Results indicated that stationary and moving occluders affected TTC judgments. RRA predicted directional changes in TTC judgments but predicted larger changes in such judgments than were observed. Tau did not predict effects of occlusion. When developing models of perceived collision, it is important to consider effects of partial occlusion on optical TTC information and on TTC judgments.