The Development of Suprathreshold Form Perception in Infancy

形式感知是一种重要的能力，涉及到日常任务，如阅读、驾驶和识别熟悉的面孔。基于婴儿对比敏感度函数测量的形式感知线性系统模型的应用，使研究人员对婴儿在环境中检测信息的能力的发展和基本视觉过程的发展有了更深入的了解。​尽管这一成功，最近的数据表明，线性系统模型可能需要修改，以适用于高对比度，超阈值刺激。这种修改很重要，因为现实世界中的大多数物体对比度都很高，因此很容易被婴儿发现。斯蒂芬斯博士项目的主要目标是确定线性系统模型所需的修改，以将其扩展到更真实的世界情况。本项目涉及三个重要且密切相关的研究方向。第一部分涉及婴儿对比恒常性的发展和功能。研究的第二条线是关于形式歧视的发展。第三个研究领域旨在测试基于对比敏感性的模型在婴儿面部偏好发展中的应用。

Form perception is an important capability that is involved in everyday tasks such as reading, driving and recognizing familiar faces. The application of linear systems models of form perception that are based on measurements of the infant contrast sensitivity function have led researchers to a deeper understanding of the development of infants' ability to detect information in their environment and the development of basic visual processes. Despite this success, recent data suggest that linear systems models may need to be modified to be applicable to high contrast, suprathreshold stimuli. This modification is important because most objects in the real world are high in contrast, and hence easily detected by infants. The main goal of Dr. Stephens' project is to identify the modifications needed by linear systems models to extend them to more real world situations. This project addresses three important and closely related lines of research. The first involves the development and function of contrast constancy in infants. The second line of research is concerned with the development of form discrimination. The third area of investigation is designed to test the application of contrast sensitivity based models to the development of infant face preferences.