A Synergetic Model of Multistability in Perception

In this chapter we describe a mathematical model of a synergetic computer that represents a number of results found by psychophysical experiments in which multistable patterns are shown to subjects. Our model is derived from basic principles of synergetics where the concept of order parameters describing complex patterns was introduced. The differential equations describing pattern recognition depend on a set of parameters which may be interpreted as attention parameters. According to a psychological finding of Kohler (1940), we allow that these attention parameters saturate once a specific percept has been realized. By this the observed oscillations between percepts can be modelled. The lengths of the reversion times may be different for different percepts and depend on different parameters of the stimulus patterns. Our model is based on three parameters which can be put in direct relationship to the experimental data and a psychological meaning can be attributed to these parameters. In a generalization of our model we are also able to simulate some properties of the perception of the stroboscopic alternative movement (SAM), which was the topic of several experimental contributions to this conference.

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