Robert A. M. Gregson, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia

Abstract: Human subjects can bisect a line, with error, even when they have neglect on one side. How this skill, even though inefficient, can be represented in nonlinear psychophysical theory is explored here. A problem for previous theoretical explanations of lateral neglect bisection, where the errors of bisection are reversed in sign for brain-damaged subjects, when very short lines are used as stimuli, is shown not in fact to be a problem for N(onlinear) P(sychophysical) D(ynamics) theory at all, but is exactly what is expected to arise when sensitivities are biassed on one side. It is suggested that an imbalance in channel inputs in a nonlinear system representation has results which do not follow from a more conventional connectionist approach.

Keywords: psychophysics, nonlinear dynamics, vision, blindsight, lateral imbalance