Perception of Heading From Optical Flow: Effects of Conflicting Velocity and Trajectory Information

Previous research on heading has focused primarily on two classes of visual information for determining heading: the radial trajectories of optical flow, and invariant sources of trajectory information in retinal flow. The present research presents an alternative source of information for determining heading based on gradients of statistical properties of retinal image flow. This approach differs from previous approaches in that it emphasizes the importance of the distribution of the magnitude of velocity within the image for determining heading. Three experiments were conducted to examine the effects on heading discrimination of displays where information for heading based on the distribution of image velocity conflicted with information for heading based on the radial structure of the flow field. The results indicate that heading discriminations are not solely based on trajectory information. Rather, the results suggest that multiple sources of information are used by observers to determine their direction of heading.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Psychology

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2014

Author dc:creator

• Dyre, Brian Paul

Contributors dc:contributor

• Andersen, George J.

• Psychology, Experimental

Identifier

(UMI)AAI9411608

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/72130