Acquisition of a Learned Operant and Critical Flicker-Fusion Rate in the Tuatara (Sphenodon spp.)

10.26686/wgtn.16926271 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

◽

Kevin Lawrence Woo

Keyword(s):

Visual Perception ◽

Behavioral Ecology ◽

Visual Discrimination ◽

Mate Selection ◽

Reliable Method ◽

Kin Recognition ◽

Food Reinforcement ◽

Foraging Strategies ◽

Critical Flicker Fusion ◽

Flicker Fusion

<p>Scientific investigation of the sensory world and behavior of the tuatara is limited. This study incorporates both ecological and psychological perspectives to test learning and visual perception using a novel operant technique and flicker-fusion rates to measure visual discrimination in tuatara. We posed four main questions: (1) can a reliable method examine learning and visual perception in tuatara?, (2) what is the critical flicker-fusion (CFF) rates for tuatara and how does it relate to motion detection ability?, (3) can stimulus control be transferred to a Y-maze from an open field arena?, and (4) what are the implications for behavioral ecology, conservation, and species welfare? Tuatara (Sphenodon punctatus) were trained using an operant conditioning procedure with food reinforcement to respond to discriminative stimuli (S+) of various flicker-fusion rates, and ignore a non-discriminative stimulus (S-). Tuatara discriminated CFF rates between 2.65-45.61 Hz, but not at 65.09 Hz. The upper threshold between 45.61-65.09 Hz is comparable to other mammalian, avian, and herpetological species. Tuatara demonstrated a learning capacity for acquisition of an operant task as well as cognitive development for learning and memory strategies. Visual discrimination is important to tuatara and may facilitate behavioral responses to many context-dependent ecological processes (i.e., predator/prey/kin recognition, mate selection, environmental discrimination, optimal foraging strategies, and communication). By understanding the importance of visual stimuli, the study provides a better perspective of the tuatara natural sensory world. Additionally, a reliable method was established that can be used for more comprehensive psychophysical experiments to further access visual perception and learning in all reptiles, with the potential to examine other sensory mechanisms such as audition, chemoreception, and tactility.</p>

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Our Inherent Need for Associative Coherence.

10.31234/osf.io/fnu4y ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Yael Afiki ◽

Moshe Bar

Keyword(s):

Visual Perception ◽

Contrast Sensitivity ◽

Critical Flicker Fusion ◽

Subsequent Performance ◽

Local Perception ◽

The World ◽

Associative Connection ◽

Statistical Regularities ◽

Flicker Fusion ◽

Associative Link

The world around us consists of typical settings manifested as statistical regularities and stored as associations. These associations are beneficial for performance and serve as a source of stability in our perception of a coherent surroundings. What happens when such associativity is not apparent? We presented pairs of associated images and pairs of non-associated images and compared their corresponding effect on subsequent performance in three different visual perception paradigms: contrast-sensitivity, global vs. local perception, and critical-flicker-fusion. In all three experiments, performance was significantly inferior when preceded by images with no clear associative connection. We argue that these results reflect our inherent need to find coherence in our environment. When it is not easily detected, we continue to seek an associative link, which in our case persisted and posed a cognitive load on subsequent performance.

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Proportion of light to cycle as a determinant of critical flicker-fusion frequency.

Psychological Bulletin ◽

10.1037/h0046748 ◽

1962 ◽

Vol 59 (6) ◽

pp. 510-519 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Adrienne Throsby

Keyword(s):

Critical Flicker Fusion ◽

Flicker Fusion Frequency ◽

Fusion Frequency ◽

Critical Flicker Fusion Frequency ◽

Flicker Fusion

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Tolerability, pharmacokinetics and night-time effects on postural sway and critical flicker fusion of gaboxadol and zolpidem in elderly subjects

British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology ◽

10.1111/j.1365-2125.2008.03331.x ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 67 (2) ◽

pp. 180-190 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

Julia Boyle ◽

Philippe Danjou ◽

Robert Alexander ◽

Nicole Calder ◽

Cynthia Gargano ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Postural Sway ◽

Elderly Subjects ◽

Critical Flicker Fusion ◽

Night Time ◽

Time Effects ◽

Flicker Fusion

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The effect of hypoxia on the critical flicker fusion threshold in pilots

International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health ◽

10.2478/v10001-009-0002-y ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 22 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Olaf Truszczyński ◽

Mieczysław Wojtkowiak ◽

Marcin Biernacki ◽

Krzysztof Kowalczuk

Keyword(s):

Critical Flicker Fusion ◽

Flicker Fusion

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Critical Flicker Fusion Frequency: A Narrative Review

Medicina ◽

10.3390/medicina57101096 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 57 (10) ◽

pp. 1096

Author(s):

Natalia D. Mankowska ◽

Anna B. Marcinkowska ◽

Monika Waskow ◽

Rita I. Sharma ◽

Jacek Kot ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Visual Processing ◽

Current Knowledge ◽

Minimal Hepatic Encephalopathy ◽

Future Research ◽

Critical Flicker Fusion ◽

Flicker Fusion Frequency ◽

Fusion Frequency ◽

Critical Flicker Fusion Frequency ◽

Model Studies ◽

Flicker Fusion

This review presents the current knowledge of the usage of critical flicker fusion frequency (CFF) in human and animal model studies. CFF has a wide application in different fields, especially as an indicator of cortical arousal and visual processing. In medicine, CFF may be helpful for diagnostic purposes, for example in epilepsy or minimal hepatic encephalopathy. Given the environmental studies and a limited number of other methods, it is applicable in diving and hyperbaric medicine. Current research also shows the relationship between CFF and other electrophysiological methods, such as electroencephalography. The human eye can detect flicker at 50–90 Hz but reports are showing the possibility to distinguish between steady and modulated light up to 500 Hz. Future research with the use of CFF is needed to better understand its utility and application.

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Visuo-motor integration, vision perception and attention in mTBI patients. Preliminary findings

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0250598 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 16 (4) ◽

pp. e0250598

Author(s):

Mariagrazia Benassi ◽

Davide Frattini ◽

Sara Garofalo ◽

Roberto Bolzani ◽

Tony Pansell

Keyword(s):

Spatial Attention ◽

Motor Skills ◽

Motor Coordination ◽

Fine Motor ◽

Motor Deficits ◽

Motor Ability ◽

Critical Flicker Fusion ◽

Visuomotor Coordination ◽

Form Recognition ◽

Flicker Fusion

Patients with mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBI) often report difficulties in motor coordination and visuo-spatial attention. However, the consequences of mTBI on fine motor and visuo-motor coordination are still not well understood. We aimed to evaluate whether mTBI had a concomitant effect on fine motor ability and visuo-motor integration and whether this is related to visual perception and visuo-spatial attention impairments, including patients at different symptoms stage. Eleven mTBI patients (mean age 22.8 years) and ten healthy controls participated in the study. Visuo-motor integration of fine motor abilities and form recognition were measured with the Beery-Buktenica Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration test, motion perception was evaluated with motion coherence test, critical flicker fusion was measured with Pocket CFF tester. Visuo-spatial was assessed with the Ruff 2 & 7 Selection Attention Test. mTBI patients showed reduced visuo-motor integration, form recognition, and motor deficits as well as visuo-spatial attention impairment, while motion perception and critical flicker fusion were not impaired. These preliminary findings suggest that the temporary brain insults deriving from mTBI compromise fine motor skills, visuomotor integration, form recognition, and visuo-spatial attention. The impairment in visuo-motor coordination was associated with speed in visuo-attention and correlated with symptoms severity while motor ability was correlated with time since concussion. Given the strong correlation between visuomotor coordination and symptom severity, further investigation with a larger sample seems warranted. Since there appeared to be differences in motor skills with respect to symptom stage, further research is needed to investigate symptom profiles associated with visuomotor coordination and fine motor deficits in mTBI patients.

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HYGIENIC EVALUATION OF THE FONT DESIGN OF ELECTRONIC TEXTS PRESENTED ON A LAPTOP

Hygiene and Sanitation ◽

10.18821/0016-9900-2019-98-12-1402-1407 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 98 (12) ◽

pp. 1402-1407

Author(s):

Vladislav R. Kuchma ◽

S. V. Sankov ◽

N. K. Barsukova

Keyword(s):

Educational Process ◽

Critical Flicker Fusion ◽

Visual Analyzer ◽

Flicker Fusion Frequency ◽

Fusion Frequency ◽

Critical Flicker Fusion Frequency ◽

Font Design ◽

Psychophysiological State ◽

The Impact ◽

Flicker Fusion

Introduction. Currently, in connection with the large-scale introduction of the electronic educational resource in the educational process, it is especially relevant to search for optimal characteristics of presenting information on screens, taking into account the specifics of the electronic devices and age-related physiological features of the users’ visual system. The aim of the study was a physiological hygienic assessment of the impact of the font design of e-texts, presented on a laptop, on the psychophysiological state of students in grades 10-11. Material and methods. Psychophysiological testing of 43 schoolchildren in grades 10-11 without pathology of the vision organ was carried out on the NS-Psychotest complex, including the method of critical flicker fusion frequency to assess the state of the central part of the visual analyzer and the response to a moving object to determine the degree of the balance in nervous processes. The influence of reading illogical texts typed by a school headset was studied with a font size of 14, 12 and 10 points and a one-time reading of 200, 400 and 600 characters. Laptop Lenovo IdeaPad 720S-15 was used for the presentation of information. Results. High-grade schoolchildren were established to have the initial fatigue both of the visual analyzer and the nervous system as a whole. Boys showed better indices of the critical flicker fusion frequency than girls. Most schoolchildren had a balanced type of the inhibition and excitement processes. Methods of presenting information in electronic textbooks were shown to affect the psychophysiological state of high schoolchildren and may carry risks to their health. The hygienically rational design of electronic educational texts promotes the optimization of the psycho-functional state of the high schoolchildren’s body. Conclusion. The obtained results allow substantiating hygienic requirements for the font design of e-learning publications at the third stage of education.

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