Simultaneity and sequence in the perception of apparent motion

Motion perception usually is accompanied by the phenomenological impression of sequence as objects move through successions of locations. Nonetheless, there is accumulating evidence that sequential information is neither necessary nor sufficient for perceiving motion. It is shown here that apparent motion is specified by counterchange rather than sequence—that is, by co-occurring toward- and away-from-background changes at two spatial locations, regardless of whether the changes are simultaneous or sequential. Motion is perceived from the location of the toward to the location of the away change, even when the changes occur in reverse temporal order. It is not perceived for sequences of away or toward changes, as would be expected if motion were specified by onset or offset asynchronicity. Results previously attributed to onset and offset asynchrony are instead attributable to onsets and offsets occurring in close temporal proximity at the same location. This was consistent with units for detecting away and toward changes that are temporally biphasic; that is, they are excited by changes in one direction and inhibited by immediately preceding or immediately following changes in the opposite direction. These results are accounted for by a model for counterchange-specified motion entailing the biphasic detection of toward and away changes.