Orientation-Specific Learning in Stereopsis

Inexperienced observers show a delay before experiencing the stereoscopic percept from a random-dot stereo pair. This perception time is progressively reduced with repeated exposures of the stereogram. We have investigated the specificity of this perceptual learning effect, using stereograms made up of short oblique line elements. Learning with a stereogram consisting of 45° line elements transferred completely to an uncorrelated pattern with the same element orientation, but there was a marked failure of transfer to a pattern whose elements had the opposed oblique orientation. Thus the stereoscopic skill that has been acquired may be specific to those orientation analysers that were stimulated during the training period.