The role of disparity gradient in stereo vision

Burt and Julesz experimentally demonstrated that, in addition to Panum's fusional area, a quantity defined by them and named disparity gradient also plays a crucial part in deciding whether the human visual system would be able to fuse the images seen by the left and right eyes. The physical meaning of this quantity remains obscure despite attempts to interpret it in terms of depth gradient. Nevertheless, it has been found to be an effective selector of matches in stereo correspondence algorithms. A proof is provided that a disparity gradient limit of less than 2 implies that the matches between the two images preserve the topology of the images. The result, which is invariant under rotations and under relative as well as overall magnifications, holds for pairs of points separated in any direction, not just along epipolar lines. This in turn can be shown to prevent correspondences being established between points which would have to be located in three dimensions on a surface invisible to one eye, assuming opaque surfaces.     

CDAscal: An algorithm for assessing the correspondence of one or more vectors to a symmetric matrix using ordinal regression

An algorithm for assessing the correspondence of one or more attribute rating variables to a symmetric matrix of dissimilarities is presented. The algorithm is useful as an alternative to fitting property variables into a multidimensional scaling space. Rather than requiring a two step process of first deriving a multidimensional space and then fitting variables individually into the space, the algorithm directly assesses the correspondence of each variable to the symmetric matrix and permits a regression extension such that a set of variables can be considered simultaneously. The relation between the matrix and the variables is determined by evaluating pairs of pairs relations, . Though the algorithm requires only ordinal assumptions, the correspondence may be computed intervally also. Multiple ordinal regression is performed with the values derived from the matrix serving as the dependent variable and those derived from the attribute ratings serving as the independent variables. Standard multiple regression statistics forR-square,F, andt are calculated as well as measures of ordinal association between the vectors and the matrix.     

Shape from stereo: A systematic approach using quadratic surfaces

We used quadratic shapes in several psychophysical shape-from-stereo tasks. The shapes were elegantly represented in a 2-D parameter space by the scale-independentshape index and the scale-dependentcurvedness. Using random-dot stereograms to depict the surfaces, we found that the shape of hyperbolic surfaces is slightly more difficult to recognize than the shape of elliptic surfaces. We found that curvedness (and indirectly, scale) has little or no influence on shape recognition.     

The correspondence between attachment to parents and God: three experiments using subliminal separation cues

Attachment theoretical studies have increased our understanding of the socioemotional foundations for religious development. However, because these studies have been correlational and based on self-reports, they are vulnerable to concerns of self-presentation bias and lack of basis for causal inference. Three subliminal stimulation experiments were therefore performed, where activation of the attachment system was attempted by way of unconsciously administered separation stimuli. In Experiments 1 and 3 (N = 29 and 89), the separation stimulus alluded to God, and in Experiment 2 (N = 47), it alluded to mother. Responses were moderated by perceived attachment history with parents in all experiments. Participants with secure histories increased in religious attachment behaviors, whereas those with insecure histories decreased following attachment system activation compared with control stimulation. There also were suggestions of experimental group increase in proximity seeking in relation to God. The main conclusion supports correspondence between internal working models of parents and God.     

Attention switching in depth using random-dot autostereograms: attention gradient asymmetries

Random-dot autostereograms (RDASs) were used to investigate attention shifts along the sagittal plane in distractor-free tasks of high perceptual load. In three experiments using a same/different comparison task, the shape of the gradient over five different depths was examined and the conditions under which the gradient is and is not observed were compared. When the target set consisted of five similar objects, a robust asymmetric depth gradient was observed. When the target set consisted of two dissimilar objects, no gradient was observed. The results support a hypothesis of a viewer-centered asymmetric attention gradient in the depth plane that is dependent on perceptual or attentional load defined by target-set discriminability.     

Surprise-induced blindness: a stimulus-driven attentional limit to conscious perception

The cost of attending to a visual event can be the failure to consciously detect other events. This processing limitation is well illustrated by the attentional blink paradigm, in which searching for and attending to a target presented in a rapid serial visual presentation stream of distractors can impair one's ability to detect a second target presented soon thereafter. The attentional blink critically depends on 'top-down' attentional settings, for it does not occur if participants are asked to ignore the first target. Here we show that 'bottom-up' attention can also lead to a profound but ephemeral deficit in conscious perception: Presentation of a novel, unexpected, and task-irrelevant stimulus virtually abolishes conscious detection of a target presented within half a second after the 'Surprise' stimulus, but only for its earliest occurrences (generally 1 to 2 presentations). This powerful but short-lived deficit contrasts with a milder but more enduring form of attentional capture that accompanies singleton presentations in rapid serial visual presentations. We conclude that the capture of stimulus-driven attention alone can limit explicit perception.     

Evidence for abstract response codes: Ear-hand correspondence effects in a three-choice reaction-time task

A three-choice reaction-time task was used to investigate the source-of-stimulation effect, that is, the tendency for subjects to react faster and more accurately to a stimulus if the spatial locations of the stimulus and the response correspond than if they do not. Auditory stimuli varied on dimensions of tonal frequency and spatial location, although only the former was relevant for response selection. Responses were found to be faster for the conditions in which stimulus location and response location corresponded than for those in which they did not, but stimulus location had no effect on differences between the two hands with bimanual responses. These results support the hypothesis that the source-of-stimulation effect is due to response plans which interact at a level prior to the programming of the motor response.     

Perception of depth: Processing of simple positional disparity as a function of viewing distance

Dependency of perceived depth (relative to the fixation point) on disparity, viewing distance, and the type of the stereoscopic stimulus was investigated. Nearly complete constancy of depth, as required for a veridically matched perception, was observed only at small disparity values and with the larger square-formed stimulus; under these conditions, perceived depth corresponded well with real depth intervals for close viewing distances. Additionally, a model for perceptual processing of both variables, disparity and viewing distance, was applied to the data.     

The challenges of editorship: a reflection on editing the Jung‐Neumann correspondence

The complete correspondence between C.G. Jung and Erich Neumann was published in 2015. This article attempts to provide insight into the practical task, as well as the theoretical background, of the editing process. The advantages and possibilities of an unabridged edition with an extensive historical contextualization are demonstrated, and compared to the approach of the editors of the Jung Letters and their selection therein of Jung's letters to Neumann. The practical points under consideration include the establishment of the letter corpus, the ascertainment of dates and the chronological arrangement of the letter exchange, as well as the deciphering of handwritten letters. Theoretical aspects under discussion involve the question of the merits of a critical contextualisation and the position of the editor vis‐à‐vis the research object. The example of the selecting and editing of Jung's letters to Neumann by Aniela Jaffé and Gerhard Adler reveals how drastically the close ties of those editors with Jung, Neumann, and members of the Zurich analytical circles compromised their editorial work at times. The advantage for an editor being able to work from an historical distance is appreciated.     

Asian Pentecostalism: a religion whose only limit is the sky

The study surveys the current growth of Pentecostal Christianity, as defined broadly, in Asia, particularly in comparison with Latin America and Africa, predicting that the future growth is expected to be exponential. In a brief historical survey, the continent is divided into four categories depending on the beginning and development of Pentecostal Christianity: Pre‐Azusa Revivals; Azusa Missionaries; New Pentecostal churches; and ‘None of the above.’ The study concludes with the discussion of four unique characteristics of Asian Pentecostalism: the movement in the context of suffering; the charismatic nature of the church as demonstrated by some Asian churches; explosive church growth among Pentecostal churches; and the emergence of strong Pentecostal scholarship in Asia. The author presents the bright future for Asian Pentecostal Christianity, but also raises a warning signal for the healthy development of its spirituality and theology.     

Blood/injury fear, fainting and avoidance of medically-related situations: a family correspondence study

The relationship of mutilation fear and fainting was examined in 204 students, (103 fainters and 101 non-fainters) by administering a series of questionnaires and a structured interview concerning the history, effects and circumstances of their fear and fainting. Two hundred and sixty of their parents completed the same scales along with a self-report version of the structured interview. Subjects were classified according to their fainting status and level of fear based on Mutilation Questionnaire scores, as phobic, fearful, and non-fearful fainters, and fearful non-fainters. Phobic and fearful fainters avoided significantly more medical and related situations due to their fear and fainting than fearful non-fainters and non-fearful fainters. Medical avoidance was best predicted by a linear combination of subjects' estimated probability of future fainting and number of past faint episodes. More females reported fainting and females reported greater fear, but they did not differ from males in fear-motivated avoidance of medical situations. A significant parent-child correspondence was found for fainting, but not for fear nor for avoidances. Implications of these findings for fear and fainting acquisition and its relation to avoidance were discussed.     

Masked affective priming by name letters: Evidence for a correspondence of explicit and implicit self-esteem

In an affective priming experiment (N = 60), participants’ initials were used as masked primes. We found a significant priming effect (denoting positivity of the personal initials) if personal initials (compared to yoked participants’ initials) were followed by other-relevant positive or negative targets (e.g., honest, cruel). For possessor-relevant targets (e.g., healthy, lonely), there was no main effect of priming. However, this priming index positively correlated with explicit self-esteem. For participants with high self esteem, a positive effect was found, whereas for participants with low self-esteem, a negative effect was found.