Frame effects across space and time

Area of Science:

• Visual Perception
• Cognitive Psychology
• Experimental Psychology

Background:

• The perception of object position can be influenced by contextual elements, such as surrounding frames.
• Previous research indicates that moving frames can alter the perceived location of objects within them (Özkan et al., 2021).

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate novel properties of the frame effect on visual perception.
• To determine the spatial and temporal extent of the frame effect.
• To elucidate the driving mechanisms behind the frame effect, distinguishing between frame displacement and motion signals.

Main Methods:

• Conducted eight experiments manipulating moving frames and probe stimuli.
• Assessed perceived probe positions relative to frame characteristics (e.g., bounding contours, depth, internal texture motion).
• Examined the temporal dynamics of the frame effect, including pre- and post-stimulus probe presentations.

Main Results:

• The frame effect's influence on perceived probe position extends several degrees beyond the frame's boundaries, both along and orthogonal to the direction of motion.
• The effect is robust across different depth planes and persists even when internal frame textures move independently or are static, indicating displacement is key.
• The frame effect is strictly limited in time, with no influence on probes presented before frame appearance or after frame disappearance.

Conclusions:

• The perceived position of visual probes is significantly modulated by the spatial displacement of surrounding moving frames.
• The frame effect is primarily driven by the frame's displacement, not its motion signals or internal texture dynamics.
• The temporal boundaries of the frame effect are sharply defined, highlighting the dynamic nature of spatial perception.