Processing of real and implied motion

Abstract

Processing of real and implied motion We readily recognize whether an animal, person or object within a photograph was moving or standing motionless at the moment the photograph was taken. Photographers, painters, sculptures and cartoonist can successfully convey motion information, even though conveying motion by a static medium seems a great contradiction. It seems that perception of such implied motion must rely on a specialized neural network in the brain, that combines static visual information with real motion processing. Orientation, body posture and positioning of the limbs of an animal or person may provide static form information that enables us to identify implied motion. In this thesis, I focus on processing of real and implied motion and their integration. The questions that will be investigated and discussed are how implied and real motion are processed, and where, when and what the functional benefits of integration may be. The studies that are discussed in this thesis will contribute to a further understanding of our brain and visual motion processing in particular.