Temporal and spatial features in detecting one- and two-dimensional constraints in complementary visual displays

Spatial complements of visual displays of one- and two-dimensional Markov spatial constraints were successively presented for discrimination. Although each complement alone was sufficient for discrimination, spatial complements interfere when presented successively in time. Substantial changes in performance are observed for temporal separations as short as 10 msec and for spatial separations as short as 1 min in visual angle. Complete processing appears to take place in the interval between successive displays: thresholds are constant for a constant sum of display duration plus the interfield interval. Implications of complementary interference for a general theory of visual masking are briefly discussed.