Abstract
Twelve Ss proficient in visual imagery were tested in a study to compare contour masking by real and imaginary lines. Detection of a vertical line was impaired following inspection of a vertical grating but was unaffected by exposure to a horizontal grating. When Ss were required to imagine a dot pattern as either a vertical or horizontal grating prior to judging whether a vertical line was present or absent in the display, the orientation that S was instructed to imagine did not influence detection of the target. This evidence that specific visual imagery does not mask a dimensionally similar visual target is contrasted with other data indicating that isomodal masking occurs when complex visual and auditory imagery and target stimuli are used.
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This research was supported by a grant to the first author from the Australian Research Grants Committee. The authors are grateful to Ann-Marie Parker for her assistance in selection of Ss and for conducting the experiment.
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Over, R., Broerse, J. Imagined lines fail to induce contour masking. Psychon Sci 29, 203–204 (1972). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03332827
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03332827