Chromaticity, spatial complexity, and self-motion perception

The effects of visual field color and spatial complexity on self-motion perception were investigated by placing observers inside a large rotating cylinder (optokinetic drum). Under optokinetic-drum conditions visually induced self-motion (vection) is typically perceived within 30 s, even though all forms of sensory input (eg vestibular, proprioceptive, auditory), except vision, indicate that the observer is stationary. It was hypothesized that vection would be hastened and vection magnitude increased by adding chromatic colors and spatial complexity to the lining of an optokinetic drum. Addition of these visual-field characteristics results in an array that shares more visual-field characteristics with our typical environment that usually serves as a stable frame of reference regarding self-motion perception. In the color experiment, participants viewed vertical stripes that were: (i) black and white, (ii) various gray shades, or (iii) chromatic. In the spatial complexity experiment, participants were presented with: (i) black-and-white vertical stripes, or (ii) a black-and-white checkerboard pattern. Drum rotation velocity was 5 rev. min(-1) (30 degrees s(-1)), and both vection onset and magnitude were measured for 60 s trials. Results indicate that chromaticity and spatial complexity hasten the onset of vection and increase its perceived magnitude. Chromaticity and spatial complexity are common characteristics of the environments in which our visual system evolved. The presence of these visual-field features in an optic flow pattern may be treated as an indicator that the scene being viewed is stationary and that the observer is moving.