Gaining knowledge mediates changes in perception (without differences in attention): A case for perceptual learning

Abstract

Firestone & Scholl (F&S) assert that perceptual learning is not a top-down effect, because experience-mediated changes arise from familiarity with the features of the object through simple repetition and not knowledge about the environment. Emberson and Amso (2012) provide a clear example of perceptual learning that bypasses the authors' "pitfalls" and in which knowledge, not repeated experience, results in changes in perception.

Figure 1

(Emberson). Complex scenes viewed during the perceptual learning task in Emberson and Amso (2012). Left panel: The Target Scene with two sample colorings depicting a typical disconnected percept (top) and a connected percept of the novel object (bottom). Participants all began with the disconnected percept (top). Participants viewed black-and-white scenes; color is for illustrative purposes only. Right panel: When participants viewed the Target Scene along with Consistent Scenes, half changed their percept to a connected percept (i.e., became Perceivers).

Figure 2

(Emberson). The pattern of activity in the right hippocampus responds to Consistent Scenes in Perceivers but not in Non-Perceivers. This region does not respond in either group to the presentation of the Target Scene. PSC, percent signal change; R. Hippocampus, right hippocampus; *, p<0.05.