The research in this proposal focuses on the development of form perception during early infancy. The proposal consists of two different yet related lines of research. The first involves the study of human infant form perception and its development. The experiments explore basic mechanisms using the contrast sensitivity function. They also involve investigating basic mechanisms of form perception such as feature detectors and contrast constancy. The two visual systems theory as applied to early perception will be tested. Finally, mechanisms of local and global analysis will be examined developmentally. The second line of research involves the development of some sensorimotor abilities required for acute form perception. It is argued that the growth of refraction and accommodation is intimately involved in the development of form perception. Several experiments are proposed including techniques for infant assessment, integration of sensorimotor abilities, and measurements of image quality. It is argued that the development of accommodation provides an excellent model for studying principles of general sensorimotor development.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development (NICHD)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01HD019927-02
Application #
3317588
Study Section
Visual Sciences B Study Section (VISB)
Project Start
1985-01-01
Project End
1988-12-31
Budget Start
1986-01-01
Budget End
1986-12-31
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
1986
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of California Berkeley
Department
Type
Schools of Optometry/Opht Tech
DUNS #
094878337
City
Berkeley
State
CA
Country
United States
Zip Code
94704
Candy, T R; Banks, M S (1999) Use of an early nonlinearity to measure optical and receptor resolution in the human infant. Vision Res 39:3386-98
Candy, T R; Crowell, J A; Banks, M S (1998) Optical, receptoral, and retinal constraints on foveal and peripheral vision in the human neonate. Vision Res 38:3857-70
Crowell, J A; Banks, M S (1996) Ideal observer for heading judgments. Vision Res 36:471-90
Shannon, E; Skoczenski, A M; Banks, M S (1996) Retinal illuminance and contrast sensitivity in human infants. Vision Res 36:67-76
Royden, C S; Crowell, J A; Banks, M S (1994) Estimating heading during eye movements. Vision Res 34:3197-214
Allen, D; Banks, M S; Norcia, A M (1993) Does chromatic sensitivity develop more slowly than luminance sensitivity? Vision Res 33:2553-62
Crowell, J A; Banks, M S (1993) Perceiving heading with different retinal regions and types of optic flow. Percept Psychophys 53:325-37
Savage, G L; Banks, M S (1992) Scotopic visual efficiency: constraints by optics, receptor properties, and rod pooling. Vision Res 32:645-56
Hartmann, E E; Banks, M S (1992) Temporal contrast sensitivity in human infants. Vision Res 32:1163-8
Bennett, P J; Banks, M S (1991) The effects of contrast, spatial scale, and orientation on foveal and peripheral phase discrimination. Vision Res 31:1759-86

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