The stability of binocular rivalry during spaced and massed viewing

Abstract

The purpose of the study was consideration of the stability of binocular rivalry rates during extended periods of spaced and massed viewing by untrained observers. In Experiment I no relationship was found between eyeblink rates and rivalry rates, and a visual vigilance task reported simultaneously with rivalry reporting proved to be a useful indicator that Ss maintained attention during the viewing period; the vigilance task did not disrupt rivalry data. In Experiment II Ss reported rivalry during 10 min. of continuous or 10 min. of non-continuous viewing on each of three consecutive days. The vigilance task was presented to all Ss. After the first minute of viewing, during which conditions were alike for all Ss and rivalry rates differed only slightly, the rates of the Spaced Groups increased while the rates of the Massed Groups showed little variation. © 1967 Psychonomic Press.