ADAPTATION TO TEXTURED CHROMATIC FIELDS

Probe-flash threshold curves were used to show that adaptation to text ured fields consists not only of adaptation to the steady local consti tuents but also of a process that is similar to habituation to prolong ed temporal modulation, which in this case could be caused by miniatur e eye movements across element boundaries. The response curves derived from probe-flash thresholds are compressive on both sides of the adap tation level after adaptation to spatially uniform fields but have an accelerating form when they are measured after adaptation to textured backgrounds. This change is suggestive of a response equalization proc ess, which modifies the response function of each mechanism to match t he cumulative frequency distribution of its inputs. (C) 1998 Optical S ociety of America.