Flickering Patterns and Lateral Inhibition*

Abstract

The effects of spatial patterns on the sine-wave flicker sensitivity are explored with sharp and blurred edges, circular and rectilinear targets having various flickering and nonflickering areas, and gratings of various spatial frequencies with adjacent bars flickering in opposite phases. The results are consistent with pattern responses studied electro-physiologically by Spekreijse, Riggs, and others. Pattern effects (as opposed to area effects) are confined to frequencies below 10 Hz, and can be explained in terms of the temporal characteristics of lateral inhibition. Earlier differences between the flicker data of deLange and those of Kelly are resolved on this basis, and a response function is calculated for the cross-connecting filters of the inhibiting network.