Contrast sensitivity as a predictor of complex target detection

A class of undergraduate students were screened for their visual acuity and contrast sensitivity on Ginsburg's charts. The subjects obtaining the highest and lowest contrast sensitivity scores were further tested on their complex target detection time. The complex targets consisted of a tank or a human form against a background of a mountainous terrain. The main finding was that target detection time for the high contrast sensitivity subjects was less than half of that of the low contrast sensitivity subjects. Differences in visual acuity between the two groups did not explain the differences in reaction time.