Amodal completion in visual search: preemption or context effects?

In a previous study, search for a notched-disk target abutting a square among complete-disk nontargets and squares was inefficient in 250-ms exposures, but relatively efficient in 100-ms exposures. This finding was interpreted as evidence that amodal completion proceeds through a mosaic and then a completion stage, with the latter preempting the former. We used the same target but changed its context: Nontargets were instead notched disks near squares.

Early computation of contour curvature and part structure: evidence from holes.

We used holes to study unilateral border ownership and in particular the information carried by the sign of the curvature along the contour (ie the difference between convex and concave regions). When people perceive a hole, its shape has a reversed curvature polarity (ie a changed sign of curvature) compared to the same region perceived as an object. Bertamini (2001 Perception 30 1295-1310), and Bertamini and Croucher (2003 Cognition 87 33-54) suggested and found evidence to support the hypothesis that, because convex regions are perceived as parts, positional information is more readily available for convex regions.

Illusory surfaces affect the integration of local motion signals.

A 2IFC paradigm was used to measure speed discrimination thresholds for pairs of Gabor patches. When one of these patches was phenomenally placed over an illusory surface (IS), we observed higher thresholds relative to control conditions without ISs. Additional controls demonstrated that this effect was due to the placement of the patch on a different phenomenal depth plane rather than to the mere presence of an IS.