Methodological foundations for locating the neural correlates of low-level visual experience.
Frontiers in psychology January 1, 2026 Benjamin Kozuch, Peter Kok
A framework is proposed for identifying the neural correlates of a low-level component of visual consciousness called base experience, defined as the spatial arrangement of colors across the visual field. A content-matching method compares the content of base experience with that represented by candidate neural systems, using matches and mismatches as evidence for or against a neural system being the neural basis of base experience. A formal system specifies the content of both experience and neural activity in a common quantitative format for precise comparison. Three matching strategies—region-matching, grain-matching, and representational-matching—are outlined for testing hypotheses about the neural basis of conscious visual content. Applying this method can help adjudicate between competing theories of consciousness.