A thorough delineation of the extent of processing possible without visual awareness is necessary to elucidate the neural mechanisms of visual awareness. Despite extensive research, it is presently unclear whether invisible stimuli can undergo advanced processing. To introduce existing work on this topic, previous behavioral efforts to investigate the extent of processing possible without visual awareness and the psychophysical methods used to render stimuli invisible, such as visual masking and interocular suppression-based techniques, are discussed. Physiological evidence that provide support for and against the possibility that advanced information processing can occur without visual awareness are addressed. The basics of multivariate pattern classification techniques are outlined. The potential of using multivariate pattern classification analyses in conjunction with neuroimaging in the temporal domain to investigate whether advanced processing can occur without visual awareness is discussed. An original study using electroencephalography (EEG) and pattern classification techniques to investigate the extent of processing possible without visual awareness is outlined. The results of the analyses reveal that a pattern classifier did not extract neural signatures of categorical processing from EEG recordings when participants viewed an image that remained invisible for the duration of its presentation. In contrast, the results from a second experiment reveal that the pattern classifier was able to decode the category of invisible images from the EEG time series when the images would eventually become visible. The results provide support for the idea that under certain circumstances, such as when the depth of interocular suppression is reduced, advanced processing for invisible stimuli can occur. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2019. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fau.edu/oai:fau.digital.flvc.org:fau_41332 |
| Contributors | Cox, Dustin (author), Hong, Sang Wook (Thesis advisor), Florida Atlantic University (Degree grantor), Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Psychology |
| Publisher | Florida Atlantic University |
| Source Sets | Florida Atlantic University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation, Text |
| Format | 104 p., application/pdf |
| Rights | Copyright © is held by the author with permission granted to Florida Atlantic University to digitize, archive and distribute this item for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires permission of the copyright holder., http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ |
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