Individually different weighting of multiple processes underlies effects of metacontrast masking.

Metacontrast masking occurs when a mask follows a target stimulus in close spatial proximity. Target visibility varies with stimulus onset asynchrony (SOA) between target and mask in individually different ways leading to different masking functions with corresponding phenomenological reports. We used individual differences to determine the processes that underlie metacontrast masking. We assessed individual masking functions in a masked target discrimination task using different masking conditions and applied factor-analytical techniques on measures of sensitivity. Results yielded two latent variables that (1) contribute to performance with short and long SOA, respectively, (2) relate to specific stimulus features, and (3) differentially correlate with specific subjective percepts. We propose that each latent variable reflects a specific process. Two additional processes may contribute to performance with short and long SOAs, respectively. Discrimination performance in metacontrast masking results from individually different weightings of two to four processes, each of which contributes to specific subjective percepts. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)

Accession Number: 2016-27640-017. PMID: 27010825 Partial author list: First Author & Affiliation: Albrecht, Thorsten; Georg-Elias-Muller Institute of Psychology, Georg-August University Gottingen, Gottingen, Germany. Release Date: 20160630. Publication Type: Journal (0100), Peer Reviewed Journal (0110). Format Covered: Electronic. Document Type: Journal Article. Language: English. Major Descriptor: Cognition; Cues; Individual Differences; Masking. Classification: Cognitive Processes (2340). Population: Human (10); Male (30); Female (40). Location: Germany. Age Group: Adulthood (18 yrs & older) (300); Young Adulthood (18-29 yrs) (320); Thirties (30-39 yrs) (340); Middle Age (40-64 yrs) (360). Methodology: Empirical Study; Quantitative Study. References Available: Y. Page Count: 19. Issue Publication Date: May, 2016. Publication History: First Posted Date: Mar 21, 2016; Accepted Date: Mar 5, 2016; Revised Date: Mar 3, 2016; First Submitted Date: Dec 10, 2015. Copyright Statement: All rights reserved. Elsevier Inc. 2016.