The oblique effect noted by an evolutionary bias toward 0° and 90° contours over oblique reflects the statistical distribution of contours in the visual environment such that there is more neural representation in the visual cortex (area V1) for horizontal and vertical (anisotropic) contours than otherwise ((Hubel & Wisel, 1962). The oblique effect has developed in mammalian and non-mammalian species because of exposure to the visual environment (Annis & Frost, 1973; Hipp et al., 2020; Henrich et al., 2010). Preliminary data demonstrates that digital media use may exacerbate the oblique effect, but further investigation is needed to understand the perceptual, physiological, and ontological parameters of this effect (Hipp et al, 2020). The purpose of this study is to develop a toolbox that can use orientation discrimination as an indicator of environmental exposure to canonical content: A steady state visual oddball paradigm task (SSVOP) and a psychophysical staircase that will enable reliable assessment of the oblique effect. Results of experiment 1 showed significant amplitude changes as a function of tilt from base orientation and results of experiment 2 successfully showed the oblique effect reflected by higher overall contour discrimination at vertical and horizontal and oblique contours respectively (H
","abstract_html":"<p>The oblique effect noted by an evolutionary bias toward 0° and 90° contours over oblique reflects the statistical distribution of contours in the visual environment such that there is more neural representation in the visual cortex (area V1) for horizontal and vertical (anisotropic) contours than otherwise ((Hubel & Wisel, 1962). The oblique effect has developed in mammalian and non-mammalian species because of exposure to the visual environment (Annis & Frost, 1973; Hipp et al., 2020; Henrich et al., 2010). Preliminary data demonstrates that digital media use may exacerbate the oblique effect, but further investigation is needed to understand the perceptual, physiological, and ontological parameters of this effect (Hipp et al, 2020). The purpose of this study is to develop a toolbox that can use orientation discrimination as an indicator of environmental exposure to canonical content: A steady state visual oddball paradigm task (SSVOP) and a psychophysical staircase that will enable reliable assessment of the oblique effect. Results of experiment 1 showed significant amplitude changes as a function of tilt from base orientation and results of experiment 2 successfully showed the oblique effect reflected by higher overall contour discrimination at vertical and horizontal and oblique contours respectively (H</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Hackert, Victoria D.","https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0271-6673
"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Science (MS)","degree_level":"Thesis","degree_discipline":"Psychology","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Peter C. Gerhardstein, PhD"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2024,"date_issued":"2024-05-03T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2024-05-03T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:10:16Z","subjects":["perception","development","vision","visual development","digital media","digital media overuse","childhood","adolescence","oblique effect","EEG"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://orb.binghamton.edu/dissertation_and_theses/382","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Peter C. Gerhardstein, PhD"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Hackert, Victoria D.","https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0271-6673
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"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["The oblique effect as a measure of digital media overuse"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Peter C. Gerhardstein, PhD"],"dc:creator":["Hackert, Victoria D.","https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0271-6673
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"],"dc:identifier":["https://orb.binghamton.edu/dissertation_and_theses/382"],"dc:subject":["perception","development","vision","visual development","digital media","digital media overuse","childhood","adolescence","oblique effect","EEG"],"dc:title":["The oblique effect as a measure of digital media overuse"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Psychology"],"thesis:degree_level":["Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science (MS)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:10:16Z"}