Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 14, 2026
05:57
Novel Object Recognition and Object Location Behavioral Testing in Mice on a Budget
Published on: November 20, 2018
59.2K
Multi-level Crowding and the Paradox of Object Recognition in Clutter
Mauro Manassi1, David Whitney2
1Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.
Current Biology : CB
|February 7, 2018
Summary
Visual crowding, the difficulty recognizing objects near others, occurs at multiple processing stages. Despite impairing access, crowding preserves visual information representation in cluttered scenes.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Visual Perception
Background:
- Visual perception in cluttered environments is limited by crowding, where nearby objects hinder recognition.
- Previously, crowding was thought to occur only at early visual processing stages.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the multi-stage nature of visual crowding.
- To resolve the paradox of crowding impairing access but not representation of visual information.
Main Methods:
- Review of converging empirical evidence on visual crowding.
- Analysis of how information is processed across multiple visual analysis stages.
Main Results:
- Crowding occurs at multiple stages of visual analysis, not just one.
- Visual information is maintained intact at each stage despite crowding's influence.
Conclusions:
- Crowding impairs conscious access to visual information but not its underlying representation.
- The visual system balances selection limits with the need to represent information in clutter.
Related Concept Videos
01:18Velocity of an Object
213
Understanding how an object moves along a path requires distinguishing between motion over a time span and motion at a precise moment. A useful example is a vehicle traveling along a straight and level path, where its position at any given time is known. The initial step in analyzing this motion is to measure how far the vehicle travels over a fixed time period. This measurement, called average velocity, is computed by dividing the total change in position by the duration over which the change...
213
01:29Leveling Effect
1.5K
In acid-base chemistry, the leveling effect refers to the limitation imposed by the solvent on the strength of acids and bases in solution. When a base stronger than the solvent's conjugate base is used, it deprotonates the solvent until the base is entirely consumed, making it ineffective against weaker acids. Conversely, an acid stronger than the solvent's conjugate acid protonates the solvent until the acid is depleted, rendering it ineffective against weaker bases. Essentially, the...
1.5K
01:29Potential Due to a Polarized Object
813
A neutral atom consists of a positively charged nucleus surrounded by a negatively charged electron cloud. When placed in an external electric field, the external electric force pulls the electrons and nucleus apart, opposite to the intrinsic attraction between the nucleus and the electrons. The opposing forces balance each other with a slight shift between the center of masses of the nucleus and the electron cloud, resulting in a polarized atom. On the other hand, a few molecules, like water,...
813
01:24Potential Due to a Magnetized Object
829
Magnetic dipoles in magnetic materials are aligned when placed under an external magnetic field. For paramagnets and ferromagnets, dipole alignment occurs in the direction of the magnetic field. However, the dipoles align opposite to the field in the case of diamagnets. This state of magnetic polarization due to the external field is called magnetization. Magnetization is defined as the dipole moment per unit volume. It plays a similar role to polarization in electrostatics.
The vector...
The vector...
829
01:19High-Level and Low-Level Awareness
792
Controlled processes in human consciousness represent high-alert mental states where individuals deliberately focus their attention on achieving specific goals. Controlled processes can be seen in situations like mastering new technology, where a person might become so absorbed that they ignore surrounding distractions. Such processes involve selective attention, requiring one to concentrate on particular elements of experience while disregarding others. These are governed by executive...
792
01:09Levels of Organization
141.8K
Biological organization is the classification of biological structures, ranging from atoms at the bottom of the hierarchy to the Earth's biosphere. Each level of the hierarchy represents an increase in complexity that builds upon the previous level.
Molecules Are Composed of Atoms, and Biomolecules Are Assembled from Molecules:
The most basic levels include atoms, molecules, and biomolecules. Atoms, the smallest unit of ordinary matter, are composed of a nucleus and electrons. Molecules...
Molecules Are Composed of Atoms, and Biomolecules Are Assembled from Molecules:
The most basic levels include atoms, molecules, and biomolecules. Atoms, the smallest unit of ordinary matter, are composed of a nucleus and electrons. Molecules...
141.8K