A Model of Binocular Rivalry and Cross-orientation Suppression
Figure 1
Demonstration of strong binocular rivalry and weak pattern rivalry.
Although experiments on rivalry are typically done under controlled laboratory conditions with prisms or stereoscopes, some readers may be able to experience the effect by crossing their eyes, aligning the left and right boxes so that a total of six boxes are observed, rather than four. If done correctly, the top middle box will display dichoptic gratings, and observers experience strong rivalry, with clear alternations in dominance between leftward-oriented and rightward-oriented gratings. The bottom middle box will display binocular plaids, where each eye is shown the same two superimposed orthogonal components (leftward and rightward gratings), for which any alternations in the perceived strength of the components are very weak.