Relational Dynamics in Perception: Impacts on trial-to-trial variation

TL;DR

This study demonstrates that matching stimulus contrast fluctuations to a subject's judgment reduces variability in sensory detection, suggesting high-level cognitive control over perception related to relational dynamics.

Contribution

It introduces the idea that trial-to-trial variability is governed by meta-cognitive control of relational dynamics, not just sensory noise.

Findings

Matching stimulus contrast to judgments reduces variability

Variability is unaffected by changes in psychometric function

Supports high-level control over sensory detection

Abstract

We show that trial-to-trial variability in sensory detection of a weak visual stimulus is dramatically diminished when rather than presenting a fixed stimulus contrast, fluctuations in a subject's judgment are matched by fluctuations in stimulus contrast. This attenuation of fluctuations does not involve a change in the subject's psychometric function. The result is consistent with the interpretation of trial-to-trial variability in this sensory detection task being a high-level meta-cognitive control process that explores for something that our brains are so used to: subject-object relational dynamics.