3. Visual speed limits
As signals from our eyes travel through cortex, massively parallel processing in the first cortical
areas transform rapidly varying inputs into stable surface and proto-object representations.
These early stages run autonomously, largely independent of observer effort and attention. But
at the level of cognition, visual signals that are unattended go largely unprocessed. Processing
capacity is severely limited and, for certain things like doing arithmetic, proceeds one-by-one.
Fine, but what happens in the stages in between?
It might have been that as signals ascend the hierarchy, processing speed would smoothly
transition from low-level fast processing to high-level slow. But empirically, visual speed limits
cluster into two groups, fast and slow. I've speculated that the defining factor of the slow limits is
that the corresponding processing has severely limited capacity. Such a resource limitation
would imply that processing more items takes a correspondingly longer time. Recently, we
found a way to test for this property. The process we tested was object tracking, and the role of
cognition in it is believed to be minimal. Yet as I'll show, as the number of targets to track is
increased from one to three, processing becomes much slower.
This result supports the theory that the slow limits are slow because they require a severely
capacity-limited resource. In the absence of an evolved specialised mechanism to extract
particular information about the visual world, we have to fall back on general-purpose, cognitive
processing that is capable of arbitrary judgments, but is severely capacity-limited.
Abstract
Wednesday, 5 June 13
14. flicker perception
first-order motion perception
500 250 125 63 32 16
duration of half cycle (ms)
form-color separated
& other arbitrary ♪ ♪
1 2 4 8 16 32
alternation rate, hertz (cycles per second)
Wednesday, 5 June 13
15. flicker perception
first-order motion perception
500 250 125 63 32 16
duration of half cycle (ms)
form-color separated
& other arbitrary ♪ ♪
1 2 4 8 16 32
alternation rate, hertz (cycles per second)
Wednesday, 5 June 13
16. flicker perception
first-order motion perception
500 250 125 63 32 16
duration of half cycle (ms)
form-color separated
& other arbitrary ♪ ♪
L eye: R eye:depth from binocular disparity
local elements ➞ global form
edges and texture boundaries
binding motion-motion non-T
color-orientation, common location
1 2 4 8 16 32
alternation rate, hertz (cycles per second)
Wednesday, 5 June 13
17. flicker perception
first-order motion perception
500 250 125 63 32 16
duration of half cycle (ms)
form-color separated
& other arbitrary ♪ ♪
L eye: R eye:depth from binocular disparity
local elements ➞ global form
edges and texture boundaries
binding motion-motion non-T
color-orientation, common location
1 2 4 8 16 32
alternation rate, hertz (cycles per second)
motion-color
motion-motion T
global form-color
higher order motion
word recognition
acceleration, direction change
jump pink
instantaneous position
selection from R S V P
Wednesday, 5 June 13
18. 77
Early, intermediate high resolution late low resolution
perception of relative flicker phase!
attention-mediated motion!
acceleration perception!
form, color across space!
global form with color!
recognition of words! jump! pink!
motion with color!
Local!
analysis!
non-local!
analysis!
V1,V2! V4, LOC,!
IT!
words!
Visual!
cognition!
selection!
binding local elements into global form!
binding of same-location colors, orientations!
8!Hertz!
8!
1! 2! 4! 25!
flicker perception!
short-range boundary computation!
1st-order motion perception!
depth from binocular disparity! L eye: R eye:
8! faster!
Consciousness?
High resolution Low resolution
1 2 4 8 16 32
alternation rate, hertz (cycles per second)
form-color separated
motion-color
motion-motion T
global form-color
higher order motion
word recognition
acceleration, direction change
jump pink
instantaneous position
selection from R S V P
& other arbitrary ♪ ♪
flicker perception
first-order motion perception
depth from binocular disparity
local elements ➞ global form
edges and texture boundaries
binding motion-motion non-T
color-orientation, common location
L eye: R eye:
Wednesday, 5 June 13
19. 77
Early, intermediate high resolution late low resolution
perception of relative flicker phase!
attention-mediated motion!
acceleration perception!
form, color across space!
global form with color!
recognition of words! jump! pink!
motion with color!
Local!
analysis!
non-local!
analysis!
V1,V2! V4, LOC,!
IT!
words!
Visual!
cognition!
selection!
binding local elements into global form!
binding of same-location colors, orientations!
8!Hertz!
8!
1! 2! 4! 25!
flicker perception!
short-range boundary computation!
1st-order motion perception!
depth from binocular disparity! L eye: R eye:
8! faster!
Consciousness?
High resolution Low resolution
1 2 4 8 16 32
alternation rate, hertz (cycles per second)
form-color separated
motion-color
motion-motion T
global form-color
higher order motion
word recognition
acceleration, direction change
jump pink
instantaneous position
selection from R S V P
& other arbitrary ♪ ♪
flicker perception
first-order motion perception
depth from binocular disparity
local elements ➞ global form
edges and texture boundaries
binding motion-motion non-T
color-orientation, common location
L eye: R eye:
ARE THE SLOW
JUDGEMENTS CAPACITY-
LIMITED?
53
x 5
Wednesday, 5 June 13
20. 77
Early, intermediate high resolution late low resolution
perception of relative flicker phase!
attention-mediated motion!
acceleration perception!
form, color across space!
global form with color!
recognition of words! jump! pink!
motion with color!
Local!
analysis!
non-local!
analysis!
V1,V2! V4, LOC,!
IT!
words!
Visual!
cognition!
selection!
binding local elements into global form!
binding of same-location colors, orientations!
8!Hertz!
8!
1! 2! 4! 25!
flicker perception!
short-range boundary computation!
1st-order motion perception!
depth from binocular disparity! L eye: R eye:
8! faster!
Consciousness?
High resolution Low resolution
1 2 4 8 16 32
alternation rate, hertz (cycles per second)
form-color separated
motion-color
motion-motion T
global form-color
higher order motion
word recognition
acceleration, direction change
jump pink
instantaneous position
selection from R S V P
& other arbitrary ♪ ♪
flicker perception
first-order motion perception
depth from binocular disparity
local elements ➞ global form
edges and texture boundaries
binding motion-motion non-T
color-orientation, common location
L eye: R eye:
ARE THE SLOW
JUDGEMENTS CAPACITY-
LIMITED?
53
x 5
?
Wednesday, 5 June 13
21. 77
Early, intermediate high resolution late low resolution
perception of relative flicker phase!
attention-mediated motion!
acceleration perception!
form, color across space!
global form with color!
recognition of words! jump! pink!
motion with color!
Local!
analysis!
non-local!
analysis!
V1,V2! V4, LOC,!
IT!
words!
Visual!
cognition!
selection!
binding local elements into global form!
binding of same-location colors, orientations!
8!Hertz!
8!
1! 2! 4! 25!
flicker perception!
short-range boundary computation!
1st-order motion perception!
depth from binocular disparity! L eye: R eye:
8! faster!
Consciousness?
High resolution Low resolution
1 2 4 8 16 32
alternation rate, hertz (cycles per second)
form-color separated
motion-color
motion-motion T
global form-color
higher order motion
word recognition
acceleration, direction change
jump pink
instantaneous position
selection from R S V P
& other arbitrary ♪ ♪
flicker perception
first-order motion perception
depth from binocular disparity
local elements ➞ global form
edges and texture boundaries
binding motion-motion non-T
color-orientation, common location
L eye: R eye:
ARE THE SLOW
JUDGEMENTS CAPACITY-
LIMITED?
53
x 5
?
Wednesday, 5 June 13
22. 77
Early, intermediate high resolution late low resolution
perception of relative flicker phase!
attention-mediated motion!
acceleration perception!
form, color across space!
global form with color!
recognition of words! jump! pink!
motion with color!
Local!
analysis!
non-local!
analysis!
V1,V2! V4, LOC,!
IT!
words!
Visual!
cognition!
selection!
binding local elements into global form!
binding of same-location colors, orientations!
8!Hertz!
8!
1! 2! 4! 25!
flicker perception!
short-range boundary computation!
1st-order motion perception!
depth from binocular disparity! L eye: R eye:
8! faster!
Consciousness?
High resolution Low resolution
1 2 4 8 16 32
alternation rate, hertz (cycles per second)
form-color separated
motion-color
motion-motion T
global form-color
higher order motion
word recognition
acceleration, direction change
jump pink
instantaneous position
selection from R S V P
& other arbitrary ♪ ♪
flicker perception
first-order motion perception
depth from binocular disparity
local elements ➞ global form
edges and texture boundaries
binding motion-motion non-T
color-orientation, common location
L eye: R eye:
ARE THE SLOW
JUDGEMENTS CAPACITY-
LIMITED?
53
x 5
RESPONSETIME
# OF ITEMS
?
Wednesday, 5 June 13
23. 77
Early, intermediate high resolution late low resolution
perception of relative flicker phase!
attention-mediated motion!
acceleration perception!
form, color across space!
global form with color!
recognition of words! jump! pink!
motion with color!
Local!
analysis!
non-local!
analysis!
V1,V2! V4, LOC,!
IT!
words!
Visual!
cognition!
selection!
binding local elements into global form!
binding of same-location colors, orientations!
8!Hertz!
8!
1! 2! 4! 25!
flicker perception!
short-range boundary computation!
1st-order motion perception!
depth from binocular disparity! L eye: R eye:
8! faster!
Consciousness?
High resolution Low resolution
1 2 4 8 16 32
alternation rate, hertz (cycles per second)
form-color separated
motion-color
motion-motion T
global form-color
higher order motion
word recognition
acceleration, direction change
jump pink
instantaneous position
selection from R S V P
& other arbitrary ♪ ♪
flicker perception
first-order motion perception
depth from binocular disparity
local elements ➞ global form
edges and texture boundaries
binding motion-motion non-T
color-orientation, common location
L eye: R eye:
ARE THE SLOW
JUDGEMENTS CAPACITY-
LIMITED?
53
x 5
RESPONSETIME
# OF ITEMS
?
YES!
Wednesday, 5 June 13
24. 77
Early, intermediate high resolution late low resolution
perception of relative flicker phase!
attention-mediated motion!
acceleration perception!
form, color across space!
global form with color!
recognition of words! jump! pink!
motion with color!
Local!
analysis!
non-local!
analysis!
V1,V2! V4, LOC,!
IT!
words!
Visual!
cognition!
selection!
binding local elements into global form!
binding of same-location colors, orientations!
8!Hertz!
8!
1! 2! 4! 25!
flicker perception!
short-range boundary computation!
1st-order motion perception!
depth from binocular disparity! L eye: R eye:
8! faster!
Consciousness?
High resolution Low resolution
1 2 4 8 16 32
alternation rate, hertz (cycles per second)
form-color separated
motion-color
motion-motion T
global form-color
higher order motion
word recognition
acceleration, direction change
jump pink
instantaneous position
selection from R S V P
& other arbitrary ♪ ♪
flicker perception
first-order motion perception
depth from binocular disparity
local elements ➞ global form
edges and texture boundaries
binding motion-motion non-T
color-orientation, common location
L eye: R eye:
ARE THE SLOW
JUDGEMENTS CAPACITY-
LIMITED?
53
x 5
RESPONSETIME
# OF ITEMS
?
YES!X
Wednesday, 5 June 13
25. 77
Early, intermediate high resolution late low resolution
perception of relative flicker phase!
attention-mediated motion!
acceleration perception!
form, color across space!
global form with color!
recognition of words! jump! pink!
motion with color!
Local!
analysis!
non-local!
analysis!
V1,V2! V4, LOC,!
IT!
words!
Visual!
cognition!
selection!
binding local elements into global form!
binding of same-location colors, orientations!
8!Hertz!
8!
1! 2! 4! 25!
flicker perception!
short-range boundary computation!
1st-order motion perception!
depth from binocular disparity! L eye: R eye:
8! faster!
Consciousness?
High resolution Low resolution
1 2 4 8 16 32
alternation rate, hertz (cycles per second)
form-color separated
motion-color
motion-motion T
global form-color
higher order motion
word recognition
acceleration, direction change
jump pink
instantaneous position
selection from R S V P
& other arbitrary ♪ ♪
flicker perception
first-order motion perception
depth from binocular disparity
local elements ➞ global form
edges and texture boundaries
binding motion-motion non-T
color-orientation, common location
L eye: R eye:
ARE THE SLOW
JUDGEMENTS CAPACITY-
LIMITED?
53
x 5
RESPONSETIME
# OF ITEMS
?
YES!X
YES!
Wednesday, 5 June 13
26. 1 2 4 8 16 32
alternation rate, hertz (cycles per second)
form-color separated
motion-color
motion-motion T
global form-color
higher order motion
word recognition
acceleration, direction change
jump pink
instantaneous position
selection from R S V P
& other arbitrary ♪ ♪
flicker perception
first-order motion perception
depth from binocular disparity
local elements ➞ global form
edges and texture boundaries
binding motion-motion non-T
color-orientation, common location
L eye: R eye:
ARE THE SLOW
JUDGEMENTS CAPACITY-
LIMITED?
53
x 5
1 target
object
tracking
500 250 125 63 32 16
duration of half cycle (ms)
Wednesday, 5 June 13
27. 1 2 4 8 16 32
alternation rate, hertz (cycles per second)
form-color separated
motion-color
motion-motion T
global form-color
higher order motion
word recognition
acceleration, direction change
jump pink
instantaneous position
selection from R S V P
& other arbitrary ♪ ♪
flicker perception
first-order motion perception
depth from binocular disparity
local elements ➞ global form
edges and texture boundaries
binding motion-motion non-T
color-orientation, common location
L eye: R eye:
ARE THE SLOW
JUDGEMENTS CAPACITY-
LIMITED?
53
x 5
1 target
object
tracking
500 250 125 63 32 16
duration of half cycle (ms)
Wednesday, 5 June 13
28. 1 2 4 8 16 32
alternation rate, hertz (cycles per second)
form-color separated
motion-color
motion-motion T
global form-color
higher order motion
word recognition
acceleration, direction change
jump pink
instantaneous position
selection from R S V P
& other arbitrary ♪ ♪
flicker perception
first-order motion perception
depth from binocular disparity
local elements ➞ global form
edges and texture boundaries
binding motion-motion non-T
color-orientation, common location
L eye: R eye:
ARE THE SLOW
JUDGEMENTS CAPACITY-
LIMITED?
53
x 5
1 target
object
tracking
500 250 125 63 32 16
duration of half cycle (ms)
http://vimeo.com/42615907
Wednesday, 5 June 13
29. How limited in capacity is object tracking?
With more targets, is the temporal limit slower?
14
1 target
object
tracking
500 250 125 63 32 16
duration of half cycle (ms)
Wednesday, 5 June 13
30. How limited in capacity is object tracking?
With more targets, is the temporal limit slower?
14
1 target
object
tracking
500 250 125 63 32 16
duration of half cycle (ms)
Wei-Ying Chen
Wednesday, 5 June 13
31. How limited in capacity is object tracking?
With more targets, is the temporal limit slower?
14
1 target
object
tracking
500 250 125 63 32 16
duration of half cycle (ms)
Wei-Ying Chen
Pylyshyn
Wednesday, 5 June 13
32. Tracking 2 targets with 3 objects in each ring
!
You must fixate on
the fixation point
(with attention)
15
Wednesday, 5 June 13
36. Chance: 33% 17% 11% 8%
Threshold: 66% 58% 55% 54%
Threshold Rate calculation:
(99.5%+Guess Rate)/2
Extracting the threshold speed from the data
19
Wednesday, 5 June 13
37. Threshold speed declines with # of targets and # of objects
!
ThresholdSpeed(rps)
Number of objects Number of objects
3 6 9 12
!
3 6 9 12
20
Wednesday, 5 June 13
38. •relatively unaffected by 6-12 objects
•decrease with # of targets
Threshold temporal frequencies
!
Number of objects Number of objects
3 6 9 123 6 9 12
21
ThresholdTemporalFrequency(Hz)
Wednesday, 5 June 13
39. Speed limits for 2 targets so slow that would have
done better by just tracking 1
!
22
Wednesday, 5 June 13
40. • Takes much longer to process 3 targets than to process 1
Temporal limits on tracking multiple objects
23
1.7
rps
7
Hz
4
Hz
2.6
HZ
1 2 3
# targets
?
temporal
frequency
limit
speed limit
?
Wednesday, 5 June 13
41. 77
perception of relative flicker phase!
attention-mediated motion!
acceleration perception!
form, color across space!
global form with color!
recognition of words! jump! pink!
motion with color!
Local!
analysis!
non-local!
analysis!
V1,V2! V4, LOC,!
IT!
words!
Visual!
cognition!
selection!
binding local elements into global form!
binding of same-location colors, orientations!
8!Hertz!
8!
1! 2! 4! 25!
flicker perception!
short-range boundary computation!
1st-order motion perception!
depth from binocular disparity! L eye: R eye:
8! faster!
Consciousness?
form-color separated
motion-color
motion-motion T
global form-color
higher order motion
word recognition
acceleration, direction change
jump pink
instantaneous position
selection from R S V P
& other arbitrary ♪ ♪
flicker perception
first-order motion perception
depth from binocular disparity
local elements ➞ global form
edges and texture boundaries
binding motion-motion non-T
color-orientation, common location
L eye: R eye:
ARE THE SLOW
JUDGEMENTS CAPACITY-
LIMITED?
53
x 5
? YES!
1 targetobject
tracking
500 250 125 63 32 16
duration of half cycle (ms)
2 targets
3 targets
Wednesday, 5 June 13
42. 77
perception of relative flicker phase!
attention-mediated motion!
acceleration perception!
form, color across space!
global form with color!
recognition of words! jump! pink!
motion with color!
Local!
analysis!
non-local!
analysis!
V1,V2! V4, LOC,!
IT!
words!
Visual!
cognition!
selection!
binding local elements into global form!
binding of same-location colors, orientations!
8!Hertz!
8!
1! 2! 4! 25!
flicker perception!
short-range boundary computation!
1st-order motion perception!
depth from binocular disparity! L eye: R eye:
8! faster!
Consciousness?
form-color separated
motion-color
motion-motion T
global form-color
higher order motion
word recognition
acceleration, direction change
jump pink
instantaneous position
selection from R S V P
& other arbitrary ♪ ♪
flicker perception
first-order motion perception
depth from binocular disparity
local elements ➞ global form
edges and texture boundaries
binding motion-motion non-T
color-orientation, common location
L eye: R eye:
ARE THE SLOW
JUDGEMENTS CAPACITY-
LIMITED?
53
x 5
? YES!
1 targetobject
tracking
500 250 125 63 32 16
duration of half cycle (ms)
2 targets
3 targets
YES!
Wednesday, 5 June 13