Reassessing the Alpha Phase: An #EEGManyLabs Investigation into Visual Perception

Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre 

Several theories of visual perception have proposed that the brain samples sensory information via rhythmic alternation of low and high excitability periods in the alpha band (8-13Hz). However, some null findings have recently questioned this hypothesis. An ongoing #EEGManyLabs initiative aims to replicate an influential study on this topic (Mathewson et al., 2009) and provide new evidence on a perennial question regarding the pre-stimulus alpha fluctuations and the detectability of a visual target. Nine independent Labs are collecting EEG data during a masked visual detection task in which a target is briefly presented at a contrast threshold level while participants report on its presence or absence. Here, we will present the most recent results and discuss some insight into the #EEGManyLabs collaboration.