Global feedback in hierarchical motion pattern formation

An array of four motion quartets (stimuli for which either horizontal or vertical motion is perceived depending on quartet aspect ratio) is arranged in a diamond configuration such that two global motion patterns are formed: (1) Rotation---alternating counterclockwise and clockwise motion is perceived, and (2) Parallel path motion---the perceived motions of all the elements are simultaneously horizontal or simultaneously vertical. The perception of rotation resulted in global feedback that biases the motion perceived for an individual component motion quartet to be more consistent with rotation than aspect ratio. Stronger rotation produced greater bias. Under certain conditions, the feedback-induced bias occurred even though global rotation was not perceived. The results were interpreted in the context of neurophysiological evidence regarding neurons in Areas MT and MSTd, and a dynamical theory of motion pattern formation (Hock, Schoner & Giese, 2003; Nichols, Hock & Schoner, 2006).