M. Golubitsky, YJ. Wang, Y. Zhao and Z-L. Lu
The Symmetry of Generalized Rivalry Network Models Determines Patterns of Interocular Grouping in Four-Location Binocular Rivalry
preprint.
Submitted.
Previously, symmetry of network models have been proposed to account for interocular
grouping during binocular rivalry. Here, we construct and analyze generalized rivalry
network models with different types of symmetry (based on different kinds of excitatory
coupling) to derive predictions of possible perceptual states in eight experiments with
four retinal locations. Percepts in binocular rivalry involving more than three locations
have not been empirically investigated due to the difficulty in reporting simultaneous
percepts at multiple locations. Here, we develop a novel reporting procedure in which
the stimulus disappears when the subject is cued to report the simultaneously perceived
colors in all four retinal locations, to ensure that simultaneous rather than sequential
percepts are reported. The procedure was applied in eight experiments with six binocular
rivalry stimulus configurations, all consisted of dichoptic displays of red and green
squares at four locations. We call configurations with an even (resp.~odd) number of
red squares {\em even} (resp.~{\em odd}) configurations. In experiments using even
stimulus configurations, we found that even percepts were more frequently observed
than odd percepts, whereas in experiments using odd stimulus configurations even and
odd percepts were observed with equal probability. The generalized rivalry network
models in which couplings depend on stimulus features and spatial configurations was
in better agreement with the empirical results. We conclude that in binocular rivalry,
coupling between neural representations of input stimulus depends on the feature
values and spatial configuration of the representations.