From Chimeric Face Processing to Center-Surround}

Abstract

There are  situations  where an action involves two  variables,  and  one of them dominates the result.  In particular activities, for instance,   the left or the right side of the brain  plays a stronger role in determining  the outcome.  The model developed here  explains this behavior for a  class of settings that includes the well known center-surround color phenomenon, an ethical  issue concerning a  group's  decisions, and the processing of emotions displayed on a chimeric face.  Also described is the wild activity   that  accompanies a switch between which is the dominant variable;   a  characterization  that   is consistent  with empirically observed  center-surround  behavior.  The results only require assuming  continuity and, when there are  two paths that connect the two inputs,  determining whether the outcome is in the clockwise or the counterclockwise arc.

Keywords: center-surround, chimeric face processing, dominant variable