Studies of temporal frequency adaptation in visual contrast sensitivity.

1. A short adaptation to sinusoidal flicker produces a temporary elevation in the temporal contrast threshold of a human observer.2. The frequency specificity of this adaptation effect is much less than that observed with adaptation to spatial frequencies; thus it does not seem warranted to postulate the existence of distinct channels for the detection of specific temporal frequencies, as has been done in the case of spatial frequencies (Blakemore & Campbell, 1969).3. At low frequencies, a substantial adapting modulation is necessary to produce an effect, but at high frequencies an effect can be seen even with adaptation which is below threshold (as determined by the method of adjustment).4. This subthreshold adaptation appears to explain the observation that thresholds set by the method of adjustment rise by as much as a factor of two during the first minute of exposure.5. No interocular transfer of the adaptation effect was observed.6. Adaptation first appears at mesopic luminances, but its appearance is not dependent on the change from rod to cone vision. Under several conditions, however, the first appearance of flicker adaptation did coincide with a change in the deLange curve, which is attributable to the appearance of the antagonistic surround of visual receptive fields. Thus it was hypothesized that the surround is essential for adaptation.