Abstract
Sixteen Ss were asked to identify an unknown word as the E gradually increased the illumination behind it. Unknown to the S, there were two words superimposed stereoscopically (e.g., BAT/BAG) so that binocular rivalry (BR) was established between the last two letters. If the BR stimuli were accompanied by a direct semantic context (e.g., T), the Ss reported the related alternative significantly more often than the other. Indirect semantic contexts (e.g., BALL) had no effect on BR resolution. Most of the Ss reported that they did not see the BR letters as clearly as the other material on the card, even after resolution had occurred, and all Ss failed to realize that there were two alternatives until the luminance from the surface of the card had increased to at least 0.5 fc. These results, in conjunction with other information available on the neuropsychology of stereopsis and BR, suggest that direct semantic contexts produce perceptual biases by facilitating the suppression of one alternative by the other. Indirect contexts probably produce response bias and little, if any, perceptual suppression.
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This research was supported in part by grants to the author from the Colgate Research Council and the Sloan Foundation. It was completed while the author was a trainee at Duke University in the Sciences Related to the Nervous System.
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Howard, R.B. The influence of direct and indirect semantic contexts on binocular-rivalry resolution. Bull. Psychon. Soc. 5, 213–214 (1975). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03337606
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03337606