Perception of Stroboscopic Movement: Evidence for Its Innate Basis

Newborn guppies and newly hatched praying mantids were placed inside a stationary cylinder containing a columnar pattern such as is used to elicit the optokinetic reflex. By illuminating columns in sequence, the pattern was made to appear to rotate. All of the animals tested circled in the direction of apparent movement. As with humans, movement was only perceived at intermediate rates of flashing.