Implicit Eye Movement and Pupil Dilation Patterns Indicating Ambiguous Image Reversal in Children

Abstract

Introduction

Autonoetic consciousness (AC) is a defining feature of episodic memory and is characterized by the ability to mentally project oneself back in time to re-experience past events from a first-person angle [1]. It is essential for self-reflection, future planning, and understanding others' perspectives [2]. The study I participated in as part of my project work course investigated the emergence of AC by examining how self-referential processing affects the interpretation of an event. This was explored using perceptual ambiguity, specifically with ambiguous images. It is assumed that the recognition of perceptually ambiguous images requires the involvement of AC. Instead of switching between alternative interpretations of a figure, the perceiver must recognize that the different visual interpretations of the image are not isolated, but rather converge on the same visual stimulus. This perceptual shift is introspection enabled by AC. To observe the ambiguity in the images, there should not only be an alternation process between interpretations but also a preservation of both meanings in a reflective frame, recognizing them as distinct from each other yet co-referential. The ability to grasp this double representation signifies the presence of meta-representation, which is foundational to autonoetic thought.

Methodology

The experiment was designed to involve both adults and children from the age of 4 to 6, a critical developmental window during which both Theory of Mind, the capacity to attribute mental states to oneself and others, and AC are believed to emerge. This shared cognitive underpinning supports the development of autonoetic thinking, as both abilities require the recognition of representational states and the ability to grasp multiple perspectives in mind simultaneously. The study design combined behavioral measures, such as pressing a button to indicate an image interpretation, with eye-tracking and pupillometry to capture indicators of perceptual reversal. It consists of three phases: i) a structured familiarization protocol in which participants are guided through a set of ambiguous and unambiguous images (e.g. duck-rabbit ambiguous and unambiguous image pair), and ii) the introduction of ambiguous and unambiguous image pairs across four blocks (explicit and implicit test blocks, explicit training block and a control block) on the eye-tracking device, preceded by eye-gaze calibration, and iii) post-test interview.

Results & Future Direction

Data collection is currently in progress, and the expected results are: (a) image reversal should trigger pupil dilation, followed by a gaze shift, and (b) unambiguous primes should guide looking preferences in the blocks. Regarding future directions, the primary researchers aim to strengthen the study by incorporating an EEG-compatible version of the experimental design to investigate the electrophysiological correlates of image reversal and its relation to the development of conscious self-reflection.

References

[1] E. Tulving, "Episodic and semantic memory," in Organization of Memory, E. Tulving and W. Donaldson, Eds., Cambridge, MA: Academic Press, 1972, pp. 381–403.

[2] J. Metcalfe and L. K. Son, "The development of self-reflection and its role in autonoetic consciousness," in Foundations of Metacognition, M. J. Beran, J. Brandl, J. Perner, and  J. Proust, Eds., Oxford: Oxford Univ. Press., 2013, pp. 289-301.