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Updated: Jul 6, 2026
14:34
How to Create and Use Binocular Rivalry
Published on: November 10, 2010
The changing face of perceptual rivalry
Trung T Ngo1, Guang B Liu, Andrew J Tilley
1Vision Touch and Hearing Research Centre, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia. trung.ngo@uq.edu.au
Brain Research Bulletin
|March 22, 2008
Summary
Caloric vestibular stimulation of the left hemisphere influences face perception in Rubin's vase illusion. This suggests that higher brain areas, not just visual processing regions, are involved in perceptual rivalry.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Psychology
- Visual Perception
Background:
- Previous brain imaging studies link face perception during binocular rivalry and illusions to the right fusiform gyrus.
- The neural underpinnings of Rubin's vase-faces illusion and perceptual rivalry remain areas of active investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of hemispheric activation in Rubin's vase-faces illusion.
- To explore the neural mechanisms underlying perceptual rivalry beyond extrastriate visual processing.
Main Methods:
- Utilized Rubin's vase-faces illusion as a paradigm.
- Employed caloric vestibular stimulation to activate the left hemisphere.
- Assessed changes in the predominance of the 'faces' percept.
Main Results:
- Activation of the left hemisphere via caloric vestibular stimulation increased the 'faces' percept in a significant portion of participants.
- Findings partially align with existing lateralization reports but extend beyond them.
Conclusions:
- Neural mechanisms of Rubin's illusion involve more than just extrastriate perception.
- Perceptual rivalry engages high-level cortical structures responsible for attentional selection, supporting the interhemispheric switch model.
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