Binocular rivalry

Binocular rivalry is a phenomenon of visual perception in which perception alternates between different images presented to each eye.

Overview

Binocular rivalry occurs when the eyes are presented with different images at the same time. This results in a perceptual alternation between the images, as the brain cannot perceive both images simultaneously. This phenomenon is a subject of interest in the field of neuroscience, as it provides insights into the mechanisms of consciousness and perception.

Mechanism

The exact mechanism of binocular rivalry is not fully understood. However, it is believed to involve competition between neural representations of the two images. This competition occurs at multiple levels of the visual system, from the retina to the visual cortex. The outcome of this competition determines which image is perceived at any given time.

Research

Research into binocular rivalry has provided valuable insights into the nature of visual perception and consciousness. It has been used as a tool to investigate the neural correlates of consciousness, and has contributed to our understanding of the mechanisms underlying perceptual alternation and multistable perception.

See also

• Visual perception
• Neural correlates of consciousness
• Multistable perception