When perceptual learning can transfer to practical improvements of visual functions U Polat1, M Lev, O Yehezkel2, A Sterkin, R Doron1, M Fried3, Y Mandel4 |
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1Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Israel |
| Transfer and generalization of the trained task to other visual functions and locations is an important key for understanding the neural mechanisms underlying perceptual learning. Here we report results obtained from two different groups of subjects that were trained on contrast detection of Gabor targets under spatial and temporal masking conditions, targeting improvement of collinear facilitation and temporal processing. The group of presbyopes (aging eye, average age ~51 years) was trained only on the foveal location from 40 cm using two temporal alternative forced choices. A second young group was trained on the fovea and the periphery simultaneously (center, right, and left) using the Yes/No method. Training improved lateral interactions (increased facilitation and diminished the lateral suppression when it exists) and many visual tasks and applications such as contrast sensitivity, visual acuity, backward masking, crowding, reaction time, stereo acuity, reading speed, and viewing complex images (camouflages). The transfer of learning to different visual functions indicates that the improvement can be generalized by practice on combined spatial and temporal masking tasks. The transfer between different visual tasks can be achieved by improving the processing speed, which enables more efficient processing of many visual functions. |
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