Bayesian Perceptual Committee Model

March-29-11
3:57 PM

Helmholtz --- unconscious inference

- Automatic cue combination

- The probability of the camouflaged object being present given the

input ---> P(CO|I)
- The probability of the camouflaged object being absent given the
input ---> P(~CO|I)
- Which is more probable?

○ P(CO|I) = P(I|CO)*P(CO)
○ P(~CO|I) = P (I|~CO)*P(~CO)

 Assuming that the visual system takes a Bayesian

approach, it seems the overall probability that there
is a camouflaged occluding object is higher than the
probability that there is not such a thing

□ By manipulating the visual stimuli, we can

- Something about the history of the
individual (life or evolutionary past)
makes the perceived image probable a
What is perceived priori.
manipulate the likelihood factor and try to
observe what kind of visual input makes it more
probable that the camouflaged object is
present rather than absent

Input
- There has to be something about the input that increases the
probability of there being a camouflaged object
○ Heuristics (a priori probability)


- The illusory contours aren't visible when nothing is occluding

the white rectangle (f1)
○ Since no contours are perceived when one of the grey
dots appears slightly outside of the rectangle, it is
possible that the grey dots alone do not suffice for the
perception of contours

f1
- As soon as the vertical disc pair move inwards and occlude the horizontal
sides of the rectangle, illusory contours appear (f2)
It is likely that discs alone would not suffice for contours and that it
is necessary to have the vertical dot pair to move outwards in order
for the contours to be perceived
□ Possible experiment idea ---> manipulation (no grey
dots)
 Also ---> as soon as the grey dot pairs (horizontal and vertical)
leave the rectangle, the discs occlude the sides and this
occluding is simultaneous with the grey dots leaving the
rectangle

f2

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- The discs function to occlude the rectangle (occlusion)
- The grey dots function to represent a single expanding and
contracting object (common fate)

○ The shape of the illusory contours mainly depends on the

degree to which the discs occlude the white rectangle (f3)
 The illusory contours can be outlined by connecting the
outer circumference of the circle at the points where the
sides of the rectangle are no longer occluded

○ But when only the vertical discs occlude the sides of the
rectangle, then the visual system uses the grey dots to establish
the boundaries of the contours

More on the grey dots

- Although all grey dot pairs are not in sync with one
another, there is within-pair synchrony (horizontal and
vertical). When the objects in are set in motion, the
synchrony of the grey dot pairs can be related to the
common fate cue

Therefore the visual system infers that it is much more probable

that there is a camouflaged object given the occlusion (done by
the discs) and the quasi-synchronous motion of the dots
(common fate) f3

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