# Gabor stimuli mask properties

**URL:** <https://community.brain-map.org/t/gabor-stimuli-mask-properties/3582>\
**Category:** Technical\
**Tags:** brain-observatory-visual-coding\
**Created:** [August 17, 2024, 1:46pm UTC](https://community.brain-map.org/t/gabor-stimuli-mask-properties/3582 "2024-08-17T13:46:25Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![weiwei2027](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/user_avatar/community.brain-map.org/weiwei2027/32/1355_2.png) [@weiwei2027](https://community.brain-map.org/u/weiwei2027)\
**Post date:** [August 17, 2024, 1:46pm UTC](https://community.brain-map.org/t/gabor-stimuli-mask-properties/3582/1 "2024-08-17T13:46:25Z")

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Hello,

I am exploring the Visual Coding – Neuropixels project data, and I want to use psychopy to generate stimuli corresponding to gabors. I noticed that the mask property of GratingStim in psychopy can be set to **gauss or circle**. Typical gabor stimuli seem to use gauss more, but the stimulus description document describes it as a “ **circular mask** ”. I would like to confirm whether I should set it to circle? Thanks for any possible help!

Best,  
weiwei

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**Author:** ![joshs](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/user_avatar/community.brain-map.org/joshs/32/8_2.png) [@joshs](https://community.brain-map.org/u/joshs)\
**Post date:** [August 18, 2024, 5:12pm UTC](https://community.brain-map.org/t/gabor-stimuli-mask-properties/3582/2 "2024-08-18T17:12:29Z")

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All of the Gabor stimuli used a circular (not Gaussian) mask.

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**Author:** ![weiwei2027](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex027/user_avatar/community.brain-map.org/weiwei2027/32/1355_2.png) [@weiwei2027](https://community.brain-map.org/u/weiwei2027)\
**Post date:** [August 19, 2024, 6:48am UTC](https://community.brain-map.org/t/gabor-stimuli-mask-properties/3582/3 "2024-08-19T06:48:24Z")

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@joshs Thank you for your valuable reply.
