RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BINOCULAR DISPARITY AND MOTION PARALLAX IN SURFACE DETECTION

The ability to detect surfaces was studied in a multiple-cue condition in which binocular disparity and motion parallax could specify indepe ndent depth configurations. On trials on which binocular disparity and motion parallax were presented together, either binocular disparity o r motion parallax could indicate a surface in one of two intervals; in the other interval, both sources indicated a volume of random points. Surface detection when the two sources of information were present an d compatible was not better than detection in baseline conditions, in which only one source of information was present. When binocular dispa rity and motion specified incompatible depths, observers' ability to d etect a surface was severely impaired if motion indicated a surface bu t binocular disparity did not. Performance was not as severely degrade d when binocular disparity indicated a surface and motion did not. Thi s dominance of binocular disparity persisted in the presence of forekn owledge about which source of information would be relevant.