Reference-frames in vision: Contributions of attentional tracking to nonretinotopic perception in the Ternus-Pikler display

Perception depends on reference frames. For example, the "true" cycloidal motion trajectory of a reflector on a bike's wheel is invisible because we perceive the reflector motion relative to the bike's motion trajectory, which serves as a reference frame. To understand such an object-based motion perception, we suggested a "two-stage" model in which first reference frames are computed based on perceptual grouping (bike) and then features are attributed (reflector motion) based on group membership. The overarching goal of this study was to investigate how multiple features (i.e., motion, shape, and color) interact with attention to determine retinotopic or nonretinotopic reference frames. We found that, whereas tracking by focal attention can generate nonretinotopic reference-frames, the effect is rather small compared with motion-based grouping. Combined, our results support the two-stage model and clarify how various features and cues can work in conjunction or in competition to determine prevailing groups. These groups in turn establish reference frames according to which features are processed and bound together.