![]() But, autism is a spectrum, and we all lie on it somewhere. In fact, the mean value of the test scores was about average. Remember, none of the subjects had been formally diagnosed with autism, and none of their scores on the test indicated that they should be. It was another validation of the theory that those with autism tend to focus on specific details as opposed to entire images. Those whose pupils changed with greater frequency also reported more autistic traits. When they paired scores on the test with measurements of pupil dilation and contraction, they saw that they were clearly related. Detail-orientedīefore taking the test, the subjects all took the autism spectrum quotient, a self-reported questionnaire that measures various behaviors associated with autism. Higher scores indicate more correlation with autistic traits. Crucially, both methods of perception produce the same cylinder illusion. If their pupils stayed about the same, they were likely focused on both at once, meaning they saw the image as a whole. they were focused on the details of the images. If they changed size, it indicated that the participants were switching focus back and forth between the white and the black dots - i.e. They wanted to see whether their pupils changed size rapidly throughout the experiment or stayed the same. They asked 50 adults, none of whom had autism, to watch the illusion, and while they were doing so, the researchers were watching them - their pupils at least. Having both allows them to see which component their study participants favor. Importantly for the researchers, the illusion is composed of both discrete details in the form of the dots, and a holistic image, in the form of the cylinder. It allows us to reverse the cylinder’s apparent direction by focusing on one color over the other. The two colors give imply depth, though a closer look reveals that neither actually seems to be in front - some white dots cross over black dots, and some black over white. ![]() The dots cross over each other just as marks on a transparent cylinder would, they even slow down at the edges to give the impression of curvature. The illusion itself relies on our brain’s assumptions of how a rotating cylinder behaves. They published their findings in March in the journal eLife. It’s a way for the researchers to tell what parts of the illusion study participants are focusing on. Here, the white dots are perceived as brighter, and the black dots as darker, and our pupils respond accordingly. Our pupils are responsive to light, but they also widen and constrict in response to the notion of brightness or darkness, even if light levels remains the same.
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