Abstract

SANTOS, Natanael Antonio dos  and  SIMAS, Maria Lúcia de Bustamante. Contrast Sensitivity Function: Indicator of the Visual Perception of Form and of the Spatial Resolution. Psicol. Reflex. Crit. [online]. 2001, vol.14, n.3, pp. 589-597. ISSN 0102-7972.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0102-79722001000300014.

This work discusses the contrast sensitivity function (CSF) in three sections. The first describes some theoretical and experimental questions of the CSF related to basic and hard-working research. The second section discusses some elementary spatial stimuli used to characterize the CSF or the response of the human visual system. The third section shows some final considerations about CSF and spatial elementary stimuli. One of the goals of this paper is to discuss the CSF that together with visual acuity appear to form important indicators of the critical aspects of the visual perception of form and of the spatial resolution. The CSF normally is an estimate of the visibility of any pattern in function of the spatial frequency.

Keywords : Visual perception of form; visual acuity; contrast sensitivity function; spatial resolution; spatial frequency.