Perception of suprathreshold stimuli during saccadic eye movements

Vision Res. 1982;22(4):423-8. doi: 10.1016/0042-6989(82)90187-0.

Abstract

We have investigated the extent to which a graded series of suprathreshold stimuli are perceptually weakened by saccadic suppression. Stimuli were brief decrements of variable amplitude in the illumination of a Ganzfeld. For each of several decrements presented during fixation, we determined a matching amplitude of decrement presented during saccades. The measure of saccadic suppression was the ratio of these two amplitudes. The matches made by three observers exhibit ratios as high as 6:1 (0.8 log unit of suppression) near the threshold. Suppression decreases systematically as the strength of the stimulus increases, reaching 0.1 log unit or less for stimuli 2 log units above threshold.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Eye Movements*
  • Humans
  • Photic Stimulation
  • Psychophysics
  • Saccades*
  • Sensory Thresholds
  • Time Factors
  • Visual Perception / physiology*