[Stimulus size and visual illusion of extent].

Area of Science:

• Psychophysics
• Visual Perception
• Computational Neuroscience

Context:

• Investigates the illusion of extent, a phenomenon affecting the perceived length of visual stimuli.
• Utilizes a modified Brentano figure with varying 'imaginary wing' sizes to probe visual perception.
• Examines the influence of referential part length on the magnitude of the illusion.

Purpose:

• To quantify the relationship between referential part length and the illusion of extent.
• To model the underlying neural mechanisms contributing to this visual illusion.
• To explore the role of centroid biases and perceptual influence areas in visual extent perception.

Summary:

• Psychophysical experiments measured the illusion of extent with modified Brentano figures.
• A computational model based on centroid biases of excitatory patterns was developed.
• Model data closely matched experimental results, supporting assumptions about perceptual influence and eccentricity.
• Estimated model parameters indicate that perceived position shifts of stimulus terminators are a key factor in the illusion of extent.

Impact:

• Provides evidence for centroid biases as a mechanism for the illusion of extent.
• Suggests a link between the illusion of extent and the perception of 3D visual object coordinates.
• Advances understanding of visual processing and the factors influencing spatial perception.