The duration over which contrast detection improves (Bloch's regime) decreases with increasing light level and is often thought to reflect the temporal characteristics of the visual system. There is also some evidence to suggest that the temporal characteristics of the visual system might also change with increasing contrast level (M A Georgeson, 1987 Vision Research27 765 – 780). Here we compare temporal summation for stimuli presented on a blank field or on a high contrast background. On each trial a test grating was presented for X ms with the use of a spatial-alternate forced-choice procedure. The test grating (2 cycles deg−1) was presented superimposed on a similar pedestal grating which was also present for 500 ms prior to and after the test grating. Pedestal contrasts of 0% and 32% were tested at mean luminance levels of 150 cd m−2 and 1.5 cd m−2. The results show that both increasing light level and increasing contrast level resulted in smaller temporal summation times. In the current conditions both these effects approximately halve the summation time such that for a stimulus of low light level and of low pedestal contrast the summation time was ∼60 ms; low light, high contrast ∼30 ms; high light, low contrast ∼30 ms; and high light, high contrast ∼15 ms. The results imply that the temporal response of the visual system quickens with increasing contrast.
