Continuous phase transitions in the perception of multistable visual patterns

Abstract

The phenomenon of stroboscopic alternative motion exhibits five different percepts that are seen with an increase in the frequency of presentation: (a) succession, (b) fluttering motion, (c) reversible clockwise and counter-clockwise turning motion, (d) oppositional motion and (e) simultaneity. From a synergetic point of view the increase in frequency is a control parameter and the different percepts are order parameters with phase transitions in between. The neural network model of Carmesin and Arndt is applied to receive predictions about hysteresis and phase transitions between these order parameters. Empirical data show the different motion percepts (b), (c) and (e) have lognormal distributions. Following the theoretical model, it is argued that there are three different phases, (a), (c) and (e), with two continuous phase transitions, (b) and (d), between them. The experimental data substantially match the theoretical assumptions.

Ambiguous Figures – What Happens in the Brain When Perception Changes But Not the Stimulus

“…The terminology from non-linear dynamics provides a helpful framework to describe the mechanisms underlying spontaneous perceptual reversals of ambiguous figures (Haken, 1983; Atmanspacher, 1992; Kruse et al, 1996; Kornmeier et al, 2004; Braun and Mattia, 2010). Brain states are regarded as points in a hypothetical state space.…”

Can I trust in what I see? EEG evidence for a cognitive evaluation of perceptual constructs

“…In particular, at certain aspect ratios (AR, relations between horizontal and vertical dot distance), our motion perception becomes unstable and alternates between horizontal and vertical motion (e.g., Liaci, Bach, Tebartz van Elst, Heinrich, & Kornmeier, 2016). In rare cases, perception can also alternate to leftward or rightward rotation (e.g., Kruse, Carmesin, Pahlke, Struber, & Stadler, 1996). Demonstrations of the SAM stimuli used in the present study can be found in the online supporting information (SI_Mo-vie_1, SI_Movie_2); an interactive version can be found on the website of visual illusions (Bach, 2012, SAM).…”

Group theory and geometric psychology

“…Such (critical) random fluctuations have been observed in coordinated rhythmic movements (Kelso et al 1986) and in movement-related brain signals (Frank et al 1999;Wallenstein et al 1995). In addition, the phenomena of hysteresis (Farrell & Shepard 1981) and multistability (here in terms of multiple apparent motion paths of L-shaped objects) is at the core of our understanding of self-organizing systems Frank et al 2000;Haken 1996;Hock et al 1993;Kruse et al 1996;Peper et al 1995). Therefore, further experimental studies on apparent motion elaborating on these features seem rewarding.…”

“…We interpret these features in terms of the theory of self-organization in complex systems (e.g., Haken 1977;Nicolis 1995), which has been successfully applied in a wide variety of fields, ranging from laser physics (Haken 1985) to studies of human movement Haken 1996;Kelso 1995) and perception (e.g., Ditzinger & Haken 1989;Fukushima 1980;Haken 1991;Haken & Stadler 1990; Riesenhuber & Poggio 2000) including studies of orthogonal and circular apparent motion (Hock et al 1993;Kruse et al 1996). According to this theory, the interactions among the constituent parts of a self-organizing system may give rise to a complete set of timeindependent spatial modes.…”