| Object updating plays a particularly important role in the study of motion perception representation. In recent decades, researchers have paid more attention to it. However, the researchers used only the homogeneous topology structures as stimuli, and there are significant limitations. First of all, the constant stream of visual information that changes over time and space includes not only homogeneous topological objects but also more complicated inhomogeneous topological objects, and inhomogeneous topological objects are perhaps even more than homogeneous topological objects in a visual world that is continually changing over time and space. Secondly, some research has demonstrated that the visual system is more sensitive to distinct topological properties than to constant topological properties (Chen,1982; Chen, Zhang,& Srinivasan,2003). Therefore, we speculated that individuals should pay more attention to variations in topological structure objects that appear successively, and object updating should occur more easily in varying topological structure objects than in constant topological structure objects. Finally, some studies proposed that the perception of topological properties may be a primitive and general function of the visual system. Therefore, we speculated that if the object updating is a more general mechanism, it should also occur in primitive perception representation. Whether object-updating can occur in varying topological structure objects remains worthy of investigation. Unfortunately, scant research has been conducted regarding this topic.The current study used a basic negative compatibility effect (NCE) paradigm to ascertain whether object updating can occur in various topological structure objects. This is very meaningful to verify the universality of object updating mechanism and study the motion perception representation. Using a NCE paradigm, two experiments were designed to investigate this topic. Experiment 1 used arrows as primes and targets, manipulating the prime/target compatibility (compatible, incompatible) and distractor type (relevant distractor, solid black rectangular distractor and irrelevant distractor). We predicted that an NCE would be obtained in the relevant mask condition and that a PCE would be obtained in the irrelevant mask condition. If object updating occurs with inhomogeneous topological structure stimuli, we predicted that a PCE would be obtained under the solid black rectangular mask condition and that the PCE would be much larger than that under the irrelevant mask condition. However, if object updating does not occur with inhomogeneous topological structure stimuli, we predicted that a PCE would be obtained but that it would not be significantly different from that of the irrelevant mask condition.The results indicated that NCEs were obtained in the relevant mask and irrelevant mask condition, a PCE was obtained in the black rectangular mask condition. Although these results were not corresponding to the expection, it can’t deny the object updating. May be there is a modulation of self-inhibition, which covered up the role of the object updating. Therefore, Experiment 2 aimed to exclude the effect of self-inhibition.The experimental design was identical to those described in Experiment 1, except that we used the nun-masking distractors instead of masks. The results showed a similar model with the expection of Experiment 1. These results could be explained by both the OU account and the mask-triggered inhibition (MTI) hypothesis. Accordingly, Experiment 3 aimed to further clarify these two explanations. To this end, Experiment 3 only used a solid black rectangle as a distractor and further manipulated inter-stimulus-interval (ISI,0,50,100,150 and 200 ms) between distractor and target. Results indicated PCEs for all ISI conditions, and no significant difference was found among them. These results clearly supported the OU account.Summing up all the results and discussions of the three experiments, present research conduct following conclusion:(1) Object updating is not limited to relevant stimuli but can also occur with various topological structures, which is important to extend the scope of the OU account.(2) The compatibility effect with various topological structures is caused by object updating, not influenced by self-inhibition and mask\distractor triggered inhibition. |
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