Visual-vestibular interactions: the directional component of visual background movement.

Legibility of a head-fixed display and visual suppression of the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) were found to be superior when vestibular stimuli and optokinetic stimuli were of like direction (i.e. would produce the same directions of nystagmus) and inferior when they were opposite in direction. Velocities (relating to the head) of peripheral optokinetic stimuli ranging between -18 degrees/s and +180 degrees/s interacted effectively with vestibular stimuli to influence visibility of a head-fixed display. This indicates that peripheral optokinetic stimulation can influence visual suppression of the VOR at velocities that far surpass effective production of optokinetic nystagmus.