The Statistical Theory of Figural After‐effects and Acuity

Osgood & Heyer explain shift of a contour by prolonged inspection of another in vicinity by assuming a spread of excitation in cortex, associated with each contour. This spread of excitation is normally distributed. contour itself is ‘perceived’ at peak of distribution. shift in second contour occurs because of an area of depressed excitability, left by first, which will tend to skew second distribution of excitation, and its peak, away from locus of first. It is argued that if two distributions are to subtract from each other successively, they will add up to a single peak if placed on cortex simultaneously. Thus any interaction will occur only if two contours are below threshold of separation and any shift will be a mere fraction of this threshold. Various amendments are considered which might enable theory to evade this consequence. neurophysiological basis (Marshall & Talbot) for Osgood & Heyer's theory is also questioned. A hypothesis to explain figural after‐effects and after‐effects of seen movement is briefly suggested

Cortex (anatomy) · Excitation · Neurophysiology · Physics · Quantum mechanics · Skew · Visual cortex · Neural dynamics and brain function · Neuroscience · Psychology · Visual perception and processing mechanisms

• Is the figural aftereffect an aftereffect? A review of its intensity, onset, decay, and transfer characteristics

  Leo Ganz•Psychological Bulletin•1966

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• Comparison of normalization theory and neural enhancement explanation of negative aftereffects

  Ray Over•Psychological Bulletin•1971

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