Effects of adaptation on the perception of motion: The influence of competing mechanisms

The effects of adaptation on motion were investigated using a modified apparent motion display. Unlike the classical apparent motion display, a BRLC (background relative luminance contrast) apparent motion display consists of two visible dots, each of a different luminance, which remain in the same position but exchange luminances on successive frames. This forms a bistable stimulus; stationarity-flicker or motion may be perceived, depending on the value of the BRLC. There was a significant interaction between condition (baseline or adaptation) and BRLC when testing motion perception following adaptation to a moving stimulus, a flickering stimulus and a static stimulus. Additionally, adaptation to flicker decreased motion perception at high BRLC values and increased it at low BRLC values. Our results reflected the presence of strong inhibitory competition between the mechanisms concerned with the perception of motion and stationarity which restricted adaptation effects to certain values of BRLC.