Summary
Classic models of visual perception pose that the ultimate goal of vision is object recognition. Recent
research suggests that visual perception is more sophisticated, representing the objects as well as the
relations holding between them. Relational representations are a major research focus in cognitive
science, as they play a central role in human reasoning, language and social life. Yet, how they come
about in the human mind/brain remains largely unknown. In ViSyRelPer, I study the role of the visual
system in encoding relations, under the hypothesis that perception realizes the early stages of relational
representation. I focus on two categories of relations: causal and social-interact. First, I use frequency-
tagging electroencephalography (FTEEG) to measure the automatic neural response of the visual system
to visual stimulation, and study whether: a) such response is evoked during observation of relational
events (e.g. for causal relation: collision events) and b) generalizes to different instantiations of the same
relation (e.g. for causal relation: launching and pulling events). Generalization would imply that the visual
response reflects the representation of a relation, above and beyond the specific objects involved.
Second, I use transcranial magnetic stimulation to interfere with activity in visuoperceptual brain areas
while participants perform judgments on relational events. This study proves a causal role of visual areas
in relation processing, thus substantiating the hypothesis of relation perception. Third, I use the above
FTEEG approach to study perception of social and causal relations in individuals with autism spectrum
disorder. I will investigate whether alterations in the visuoperceptual stages of relation representation
could be a marker of difficulties in the disorder, as raised in latest research. This program will offer new
avenues to discover the perceptual groundings of relational thinking underlying the complexity of human cognition.
research suggests that visual perception is more sophisticated, representing the objects as well as the
relations holding between them. Relational representations are a major research focus in cognitive
science, as they play a central role in human reasoning, language and social life. Yet, how they come
about in the human mind/brain remains largely unknown. In ViSyRelPer, I study the role of the visual
system in encoding relations, under the hypothesis that perception realizes the early stages of relational
representation. I focus on two categories of relations: causal and social-interact. First, I use frequency-
tagging electroencephalography (FTEEG) to measure the automatic neural response of the visual system
to visual stimulation, and study whether: a) such response is evoked during observation of relational
events (e.g. for causal relation: collision events) and b) generalizes to different instantiations of the same
relation (e.g. for causal relation: launching and pulling events). Generalization would imply that the visual
response reflects the representation of a relation, above and beyond the specific objects involved.
Second, I use transcranial magnetic stimulation to interfere with activity in visuoperceptual brain areas
while participants perform judgments on relational events. This study proves a causal role of visual areas
in relation processing, thus substantiating the hypothesis of relation perception. Third, I use the above
FTEEG approach to study perception of social and causal relations in individuals with autism spectrum
disorder. I will investigate whether alterations in the visuoperceptual stages of relation representation
could be a marker of difficulties in the disorder, as raised in latest research. This program will offer new
avenues to discover the perceptual groundings of relational thinking underlying the complexity of human cognition.
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More information & hyperlinks
| Web resources: | https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101108756 |
| Start date: | 01-05-2023 |
| End date: | 30-04-2025 |
| Total budget - Public funding: | - 211 754,00 Euro |
Cordis data
Original description
Classic models of visual perception pose that the ultimate goal of vision is object recognition. Recentresearch suggests that visual perception is more sophisticated, representing the objects as well as the
relations holding between them. Relational representations are a major research focus in cognitive
science, as they play a central role in human reasoning, language and social life. Yet, how they come
about in the human mind/brain remains largely unknown. In ViSyRelPer, I study the role of the visual
system in encoding relations, under the hypothesis that perception realizes the early stages of relational
representation. I focus on two categories of relations: causal and social-interact. First, I use frequency-
tagging electroencephalography (FTEEG) to measure the automatic neural response of the visual system
to visual stimulation, and study whether: a) such response is evoked during observation of relational
events (e.g. for causal relation: collision events) and b) generalizes to different instantiations of the same
relation (e.g. for causal relation: launching and pulling events). Generalization would imply that the visual
response reflects the representation of a relation, above and beyond the specific objects involved.
Second, I use transcranial magnetic stimulation to interfere with activity in visuoperceptual brain areas
while participants perform judgments on relational events. This study proves a causal role of visual areas
in relation processing, thus substantiating the hypothesis of relation perception. Third, I use the above
FTEEG approach to study perception of social and causal relations in individuals with autism spectrum
disorder. I will investigate whether alterations in the visuoperceptual stages of relation representation
could be a marker of difficulties in the disorder, as raised in latest research. This program will offer new
avenues to discover the perceptual groundings of relational thinking underlying the complexity of human cognition.
Status
SIGNEDCall topic
HORIZON-MSCA-2022-PF-01-01Update Date
31-07-2023
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