Flicker induces depth: Spatial and temporal factors in the perceptual segregation of flickering and nonflickering regions in depth

Abstract

If some regions of a random-dot field are flickered, then the nonflickering areas appear to stand out in depth in front of the flickering regions. This perception of depth is optimal within a limited range of temporal frequencies. The average temporal luminance of the flickering and nonflickering regions was kept equal, so the depth segregation is not due to a luminance difference. In fact, depth is seen even when the average temporal luminance of the flickering regions is twice that of the steadily presented regions. The magnitude of perceived depth is affected by the percentage of luminance modulation: depth is maximal at 100% modulation and diminishes as the percent modulation decreases. We charted the tuning function using alternating flickering and nonflickering random-dot bars and found it to be similar to those of visual channels most sensitive to high temporal frequency. © 1984 Psychonomic Society, Inc.