Serial dependence tracks objects and scenes in parallel and independently

Abstract

When viewing a multi-object scene, individual object features are stored, possibly in an object-file-like representation, and integrated with features from previous samples of that object. This integrated representation then gives rise to current perception. It is not necessary to pay attention to the individual object for its features to be integrated into the object file (assuming that post-cueing for report orients attention to a memory trace). Serial dependence of individual object perception on previous individual objects occurred both in trials in which participants had reported the individual object and in trials in which they had reported the ensemble.When viewing amulti-object scene, ensemble representations are stored only when attention is directed to the ensemble, as shown by the presence of serial dependence between ensemble trials, but no influence of non-reported ensembles on current ensembles. These results suggest that, although the perception of individual objects is obligatory, ensemble perception is not. They furthermore suggest that individual object features can contribute to different object files at the same time: the file corresponding to the individual object and, if attention is drawn to the ensemble of which the object is a part, to the ensemble file. Thus, individual object representations and ensemble representations can be maintained, and integrated with previous history, in parallel. In other words, multiple continuity fields operate simultaneously on object and scene representations.