Visual homogeneity computations in the brain enable solving generic visual tasks

Abstract

Most visual tasks involve looking for specific object features. But we also often perform property-based tasks where we look for specific property in an image, such as finding an odd item, deciding if two items are same, or if an object has symmetry. How do we solve such tasks? These tasks do not fit into standard models of decision making because their underlying feature space and decision process is unclear. Using well-known principles governing multiple object representations, we show that displays with repeating elements can be distinguished from heterogeneous displays using a property we define as visual homogeneity. In behavior, visual homogeneity predicted response times on visual search, same-different and symmetry tasks. Brain imaging during visual search and symmetry tasks revealed that visual homogeneity was localized to a region in the object-selective cortex. Thus, property-based visual tasks are solved in a localized region in the brain by computing visual homogeneity. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTMost visual tasks involve looking for specific features, like finding a face in a crowd. But we also often look for a particular image property - such as finding an odd item, deciding if two items are same, or judging if an object is symmetric. How does our brain solve these disparate tasks? Here, we show that these tasks can all be solved using a simple computation over object representations in higher visual cortex, which we define as visual homogeneity.