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Synchronization of Oscillatory Responses in Visual Cortex: A Plausible Mechanism for Scene Segmentation

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Synergetics of Cognition

Part of the book series: Springer Series in Synergetics ((SSSYN,volume 45))

Abstract

Subjectively, it appears to us that the main function of our visual sense is to identify objects and to evaluate relationships between them. Unless we are confronted with specially designed perceptual tasks we tend to be unaware that the segmentation of the visual world into distinct objects and shapes is, by itself, a major achievement of our visual system. The retinal image of a visual scene consists of a two-dimensional, continuous distribution of grey levels. Before the visual system can identify particular figures or objects it needs to determine which of the various luminance values belong to individual objects, or the embedding background. Some grouping has to be performed in order to associate these luminance distributions with contours, to associate particular contours with a single object, and to segregate objects with overlapping contours from each other and from the background. These operations are commonly defined as scene segmentation or figure-ground segregation. Because they are usually carried out subconsciously and do not require the direction of selective attention to particular features of the scene these operations are commonly called “preattentive visual processes” or “early visual processes” (for review and examples see: 30,31,25,4,41,42,34).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Max-Planck-Institut for Brain Research, Deutschordenstraße 46, D-6000, Frankfurt 71, Fed. Rep. of Germany

    C. M. Gray, P. König, A. K. Engel & W. Singer

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  1. C. M. Gray
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  2. P. König
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  3. A. K. Engel
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  4. W. Singer
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institut für Theoretische Physik und Synergetik, Universität Stuttgart, Pfaffenwaldring 57/IV, D-7000, Stuttgart 80, Fed. Rep. of Germany

    Hermann Haken

  2. Center for Complex Systems, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, 33431, USA

    Hermann Haken

  3. Fachbereich Human- und Sozialwissenschaften, Studiengang Psychologie, Universität Bremen, D-2800, Bremen 33, Fed. Rep. of Germany

    Michael Stadler

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© 1990 Springer-Verlag Berlin, Heidelberg

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Gray, C.M., König, P., Engel, A.K., Singer, W. (1990). Synchronization of Oscillatory Responses in Visual Cortex: A Plausible Mechanism for Scene Segmentation. In: Haken, H., Stadler, M. (eds) Synergetics of Cognition. Springer Series in Synergetics, vol 45. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-48779-8_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-48779-8_5

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