Mounting evidence suggests that recurrent neural processes taking place within the visual system are recruited when we recognize challenging images---such as objects seen from unusual viewpoints. Backward masking techniques have traditionally been used as a non-invasive method for studying recurrent processes in the human visual system: A mask follows the target image, presumably disrupting recurrent processes of the visual system. However, these techniques have the limitation that they do not allow to identify the stage of the visual system where critical recurrent processes are taking place. Here, leveraging advances in texture synthesis via deep networks, and the established correspondence between stages of the visual system and layers of deep networks, we develop a novel psychophysics paradigm where masks with textures targeting different stages of the visual system follow the presentation of challenging images. In a series of experiments, we presented objects to human subjects either for a short duration or in unusual poses, followed by a textured mask either designed to only target the early visual system, or the entire visual system. We found no effect of texture type on recognition ability, suggesting that recurrent processes in or towards early stages of the visual system (such as primary visual cortex) are already recruited for these recognition tasks.
Ollikka, N., Bergstrom, A., Kilpelainen, M., Deny, S.
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