Abstract
The apparent line-like structure in dot patterns derives substantially from the orientation defined by pairings of adjacent dots. Two alternative models have been proposed for making these pairings, one in which the individual dots are treated as discrete grouping tokens, and the second in which the pairing orientation derives from spatial summation by simple cell receptive fields. Contradictory evidence has been found both directly in support of, and directly against, both models. Much of the debate about these two models has hinged on the degree of linearity of summation expected in the simple cell model. Recent neurophysiological evidence changes the balance of the debate, invalidating certain earlier arguments based on linearity and providing a novel way of showing that simple cells do indeed play a major, but not necessarily exclusive, role in dot groupings.
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The research reported in this article was supported by Air Force Office of Scientific Research contract number F49720-83-C-0093 and Office of Naval Research Contract number N00014-87-K-0321
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Brookes, A., Stevens, K.A. Symbolic grouping versus simple cell models. Biol. Cybern. 65, 375–380 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00216971
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00216971