Spatial frequency channels derived from individual differences

Contrast sensitivity functions differ from observer to observer. We propose that these differences arise because each observer has unique weights for the outputs of the neural channels that underlie the contrast sensitivity function. By applying principal components analysis to individual contrast sensitivity functions of 297 observers, estimates of the channel tuning curves were found. We find evidence for three broadly tuned bandpass channels with peaks at 4, 8, and 16 c/deg and bandwidth near 1.3 octaves. These channel tuning curves were reproduced in a cross-validation study of 56 observers.