Probing the neural geometry of conscious object perception in time

Conscious object recognition is a vital brain function, enabling us to interpret visual stimuli and adapt our behavior accordingly. However, the exact sequence of neural processing leading to conscious object recognition remains unknown. Previous theories propose either a coarse-to-fine or a fine-to-coarse progression. To clarify this matter, researchers recorded high-density EEG while participants of both genders engaged in an object recognition task under various viewing conditions.

Early in neural activity, both superordinate and basic-level category information appeared. Subsequently, a late superordinate category representation emerged in an abstract format, separate from low-level object features. Interestingly, during the early stage, while basic-level category information correlated positively with perceptual awareness, superordinate category information correlated negatively.

Conversely, in the early stage, both superordinate and basic-level category information correlated positively with objective categorization accuracy. In the late stage, both category levels correlated positively with awareness. These findings imply that neural processing behind conscious object perception unfolds from the basic to the superordinate category level.