Object grouping based on real-world regularities facilitates perception by reducing competitive interactions in visual cortex

• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1400559111
• Publication Date: 2014-07-15T05:15:59Z
• Authors: Daniel Kaiser; Timo Stein; Marius V. Peelen
• Keywords: Table (database)

Significance A major challenge for visual perception is to select behaviorally relevant objects from scenes containing a large number of distracting that compete limited processing resources. Here, we show such competitive interactions in human cortex are reduced when distracters positioned commonly experienced configurations (e.g., lamp above dining table), leading improved detection target objects. This indicates the system can exploit real-world regularities group typically co-occur; plate flanked by fork and knife be grouped into set. interobject grouping effectively reduces competing thus facilitate selection targets cluttered, but regular environments.