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Detecting Pre-Stimulus Source-Level Effects on Object Perception with Magnetoencephalography
Published on: July 26, 2019
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The Lightness/Pitch Crossmodal Correspondence Modulates the Rubin Face/Vase Perception.
Mick Zeljko1, Philip M Grove1, Ada Kritikos1
1School of Psychology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, 4067, Australia.
Multisensory Research
|June 17, 2021
Summary
Crossmodal correspondences (CMCs) influence how we perceive ambiguous images, like the Rubin face/vase. Congruent sound pitches bias visual perception, especially with longer exposure, affecting perceptual reversals.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Cognitive Science
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Crossmodal correspondences (CMCs) link sensory experiences, like pitch and lightness.
- Perceptual disambiguation involves resolving ambiguity in sensory input.
- The Rubin face/vase (RFV) is a classic example of visual bistability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if CMCs modulate perceptual disambiguation.
- To examine the influence of lightness/pitch congruency on RFV perception.
- To determine if CMC congruency affects initial percepts or perceptual reversals.
Main Methods:
- Participants viewed a black-and-white RFV paired with high or low pitch tones.
- Stimuli were presented for short and long durations.
- The frequency of reporting CMC-congruent vs. incongruent percepts was analyzed.
Main Results:
- CMC congruency significantly biased the dominant visual percept for longer stimulus durations.
- The effect was observed for perceptual reversals, not initial percepts.
- CMC congruency effects emerged after several minutes of exposure, indicating a developmental aspect.
Conclusions:
- CMC congruency influences higher-level object-based perceptual effects, extending beyond low-level feature associations.
- This demonstrates a new category of crossmodal factors affecting perceptual disambiguation in bistable stimuli.
- The findings highlight the dynamic interplay between senses in resolving visual ambiguity over time.
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