Veeringluses

Veeringluses is a term in cognitive psychology describing a class of perceptual alternations in which an observer's interpretation of an ambiguous stimulus shifts between competing representations. The phenomenon resembles bistable perception in that the sensory input remains constant while perceptual interpretation changes over time. Veeringluses are distinguished by relatively rapid alternations and by the influence of higher-level factors such as attention, expectations, and recent priming on which interpretation is favored.

Description and measurements: Researchers study veeringluses using bistable images (e.g., ambiguous figures) and auditory sequences. Key metrics include dwell time on each interpretation, switch rate, and the relationship between perceptual shifts and reaction times to probe stimuli. Variability across observers and within individuals over time is common.

Mechanistic accounts typically involve competition between neural populations coding alternative interpretations, adaptation effects, and top-down modulation. Predictive coding models describe the fluctuations as changes in priors or gain of competing representations, while models emphasizing attention view veeringluses as ongoing reallocation of cognitive resources in response to goal-relevant cues.

Origin and usage: The term veeringluses appears in theoretical discussions in the 2010s as a descriptive label for this class of phenomena. It draws on the sense of veering—shifting direction—and on illusion-like instability in perception. The term is not tied to a single laboratory and is used in cross-domain discussions of perceptual decision making.

Implications: Veeringluses offer insights into cognitive flexibility, subjective experience, and the design of interfaces that accommodate perceptual ambiguity. Related concepts include bistable perception, perceptual decision making, and attentional switching.