Early Stages of Figure-Ground Segregation during Perception of the Face-Vase

■ The temporal sequence of neural processes supporting figure– ground perception was investigated by recording ERPs associated withsubjectsʼ perceptions of the face–vase figure.In Experiment 1, subjects continuously reported whether they perceived the face or the vase as the foreground figure by pressing one of two buttons. Each button press triggered a probe flash to the face region, the vase region, or the borders between the two. The N170/ vertex positive potential (VPP) component of the ERP elicited by probes to the face region was larger when subjects perceived the faces as figure. Preceding the N170/VPP, two additional components were identified. First, when the borders were probed, ERPs differed in amplitude as early as 110 msec after probe onset depending on subjectsʼ figure–ground perceptions. Second, when the face or vase regions were probed, ERPs were more positive (at ∼150–200 msec) when that region was perceived as figure versus background. These components ...

• Type: Journal
• Year: 2011
• Where: JOCN
• Authors: Michael A. Pitts, Antígona Martínez, James B. Brewer, Steven A. Hillyard
• Keywords: Face Region, JOCN 2011, Vase, Vase Regions