Spatial characteristics of movement detection mechanisms in human vision

Visual detection of targets moving against structured background fields has been studied with near-monochromatic stimuli, selected so as to isolate the different increment threshold spectral response mechanisms. It is shown that for foveal vision, the red-and green-sensitive mechanisms (₅ and ₄ respectively) yield IMG functions (Barbur and Ruddock, 1980), similar to those found with white light. In contrast, the blue-sensitive (₁) mechanism yields a low-frequency IMG response quite unlike that found for the other mechanisms. There is also considerable variation between subjects in this case. Measurements taken 30° off-axis with low (1.4 log trolands) background illumination level, yield a low frequency response IMG function for both rod and cone spectral mechanisms, similar to those found with white light stimuli. At high illumination levels (>2.2 log trolands), the IMG function for the ₅-mechanism is shifted to higher spatial frequencies, as is also observed with white light stimuli. A wavelength-selective binocular interaction effect, manifested in the detection of moving targets, is also described, and it is suggested that this may be of value in the study of defective colour vision.