Dynamics of contour integration

To determine the dynamics of contour integration the temporal properties of the individual contour elements were varied as well as those of the contou r they form. A temporal version of a contour integration paradigm (Field, D . J., Hayes, A., & Hess, R. F. (1993) Vision Research, 33, 173-193) was use d to assess these two temporal dynamics as a function of the contrast of in dividual elements and the curvature of the contour. The results show that t he dynamics of contour integration are good when the contrast of the indivi dual elements is modulated in time (10-30 Hz), but are poor when contour li nking per se is temporally modulated (1-12 Hz). The dynamics of contour lin king is not dependent on the absolute contrast of the linking elements, so long as they are visible, but does vary with the curvature of the contour. For straight contours, temporal resolution is around 6-12 Hz but falls to a round 1-2 Hz for curved contours. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.