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Individual Differences in Contrast Sensitivity Functions of Human Adults and Infants: A Brief Review

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The Changing Visual System

Part of the book series: NATO ASI Series ((NSSA,volume 222))

Abstract

Even when individuals are matched for age and ocular health, their contrast sensitivity functions (CSFs) will differ. Some of these differences seem to be caused by individual differences in underlying spatial mechanisms that detect narrow ranges of spatial frequency. This is because an individual’s performance at a particular frequency (i.e., one’s sensitivity to a test frequency relative to the group mean at that frequency) tends to predict performance at nearby frequencies only. Attempts to use individual differences in CSFs to test quantitative models of spatial mechanisms are reviewed. Preliminary analyses indicate that mechanisms tuned to low spatial frequencies at birth may shift to higher frequencies during development.

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© 1991 Springer Science+Business Media New York

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Peterzell, D., Werner, J.S., Kaplan, P.S. (1991). Individual Differences in Contrast Sensitivity Functions of Human Adults and Infants: A Brief Review. In: Bagnoli, P., Hodos, W. (eds) The Changing Visual System. NATO ASI Series, vol 222. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-3390-0_34

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-3390-0_34

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4613-6497-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4615-3390-0

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