Metacontrast as a function of the spatial frequency composition of the target and mask

Abstract

Metacontrast masking as a function of spatial frequency components of the stimuli was studied. The targets and masks were rectangular windows in which luminance was modulated sinusoidally in the horizontal dimension. The masking functions obtained with these stimuli were quite similar to functions obtained in more typical metacontrast studies. Contrary to predictions by current models of spatial frequency channels or edge mechanisms, the variation in optimal masking for different stimulus conditions did not correspond to the similarity of spatial frequency components of the target and mask, to the Sustained-Transient hypothesis, or to the luminance near the edge of the mask. © 1978.