Repulsive Aftereffects of Visual Space

Prolonged exposure to a sensory stimulus induces perceptual adaptation aftereffects. Traditionally, aftereffects are known to change the appearance of stimulus features, like contrast, color, or shape. However, shifts in the spatial position of objects have also been observed to follow adaptation. Here, I demonstrate that visual adaptation produced by different adapter stimuli generates a bi-directional spatial repulsion. Observers had to judge the distance between a probe dot pair presented in the adapted region and compare them to a reference dot pair presented in a region not affected by adaptation. If the probe dot pair was present inside the adapted area, observers underestimated the distance. If, however, the dot pair straddled the adapted area, the distance was perceived as larger with a stronger distance expansion than compression. Bi-directional spatial repulsion was found with a similar magnitude for size and density adapters. Localization estimates with mouse pointing revealed that adaptation also affected absolute position judgments. Bi-directional spatial repulsion is most likely produced by the lines of adapter stimuli since single bars used as adapters were sufficient to induce spatial repulsion. Spatial repulsion was stronger for stimuli presented in the periphery. This finding explains why distance expansion is stronger than distance compression.