Using ERPs to Investigate Two-Dimensional and Three-Dimensional Image Recognition

Abstract

Debates and arguments about the differences and similarities between two-dimensional and three-dimensional image recognition have long existed. This study aims at using event-related potentials (ERPs) to investigate the mechanisms of human brains and the differences and similarities of brain functions when the operation of two-dimensional and three-dimensional image recognition is triggered. The experiment for this study was practiced by performing ERP tasks designed separately by using two-dimensional and three-dimensional images. Simultaneously, off-line analyses of collected brain-wave data of the experimental subjects were performed. The subjects in the experiment were 20 volunteer senior high school and vocational school students. The results of this study suggest significant differences between the amplitude from N1 and P300 in the central midline sites and from P1 in the occipitotemporal cortex while two-dimensional and three-dimensional images were displayed to the subjects. Therefore, the researchers in this study infer that because the visual sense elements of the different dimensional visual messages passed from the retina are dissimilar, what the retina receives are not simply two-dimensional visual messages projected by three-dimensional images; there is even more visual information to stimulate the cortex. Therefore, this study provides evidence of neurophysiology to confirm image recognition.

Alternate abstract:

本研究旨在以事件相關腦電位探討二維與三維圖形辨識作業的腦機制，以瞭解不同維度的圖形辨識中大腦運作的異同。研究分別以二維和三維圖形設計任務刺激進行實驗，並同步蒐集受試者之腦波進行離線分析。研究對象為20位自願參加的高中職學生。研究結果發現，二維圖形的答對率優於三維圖形，反應時間也比三維圖形短；二維與三維圖形在中線區的N1振幅和P300振幅有差異；在枕顳區的P1振幅與潛伏期有差異。因此，研究推論由視網膜傳遞不同維度的視覺訊息在視知覺的成分上已經有差異，三維圖形在視網膜上不僅只是投射二維的視覺訊息，而是有更多的視覺訊息誘發大腦的運作。本研究提供圖形辨識歷程神經生理的證據。