Allocation of attention in the visual field.

This research investigated whether attentional resources can be simultaneously allocated to several locations in a visual display, whether the mode of processing (serial or parallel) can be switched within a trial, and the nature of the costs when attentional resources are concentrated on an invalid location. Subjects were required to determine which of two target letters was present in eight-letter circular displays. In precue conditions, a primary and a secondary target location were designated 150 ms before target onset by an indicator that varied in validity. In the control conditions no cue was provided. A second experiment verified several assumptions that had been made in interpreting the data of Experiment 1. Modifications in Jonides' (1983) two-process model were suggested in terms of a zoom lens model of attentional resources. Instead of two alternative processing modes, attentional resources are conceived as capable of distribution over the visual field, but with low resolving power, or as continuously constricting to small portions of the visual field with a concomitant increase in processing power. Language: en

[1]  William K. Estes,et al.  Reaction time in relation to display size and correctness of response in forced-choice visual signal detection , 1966 .

[2]  W. Estes,et al.  Visual detection in relation to display size and redundancy of critical elements I , 1966 .

[3]  C. Eriksen,et al.  Temporal course of selective attention. , 1969, Journal of experimental psychology.

[4]  C. Eriksen,et al.  Rate of information processing in visual perception: some results and methodological considerations. , 1969, Journal of experimental psychology.

[5]  C. Eriksen,et al.  Some factors determining efficiency of selective attention. , 1970 .

[6]  Charles W. Eriksen,et al.  Selective attention and serial processing in briefly presented visual displays , 1971 .

[7]  R. Shiffrin,et al.  Visual processing capacity and attentional control. , 1972, Journal of experimental psychology.

[8]  C. Eriksen,et al.  Some characteristics of selective attention in visual perception determined by vocal reaction time , 1972 .

[9]  Wilson S. Geisler,et al.  Visual recognition in a theory of information processing. , 1973 .

[10]  Charles Curtis Eriksen,et al.  The extent of processing of noise elements during selective encoding from visual displays , 1973 .

[11]  D. Kahneman.  Attention and Effort , 1973 .

[12]  R. A. Kinchla,et al.  Detecting target elements in multielement arrays: A confusability model , 1974 .

[13]  C. Eriksen,et al.  Selective attention: Noise suppression or signal enhancement? , 1974 .

[14]  J. Hoffman.  Hierarchical stages in the processing of visual information , 1975 .

[15]  C D Wickens,et al.  The effects of divided attention on information processing in manual tracking. , 1976, Journal of experimental psychology. Human perception and performance.

[16]  Walter Schneider,et al.  Controlled and Automatic Human Information Processing: 1. Detection, Search, and Attention. , 1977 .

[17]  Walter Schneider,et al.  Controlled and automatic human information processing: II. Perceptual learning, automatic attending and a general theory. , 1977 .

[18]  M. Shaw,et al.  Optimal allocation of cognitive resources to spatial locations. , 1977, Journal of experimental psychology. Human perception and performance.

[19]  Marilyn L. Shaw,et al.  A capacity allocation model for reaction time. , 1978 .

[20]  J E Hoffman,et al.  Search through a sequentially presented visual display , 1978, Perception & psychophysics.

[21]  W. R. Garner,et al.  Reaction time as a measure of inter- and intraobject visual similarity: Letters of the alphabet , 1979 .

[22]  J E Hoffman,et al.  A two-stage model of visual search , 1979, Perception & psychophysics.

[23]  G C Gilmore,et al.  Multidimensional letter similarity derived from recognition errors , 1979, Perception & psychophysics.

[24]  J. Duncan.  The locus of interference in the perception of simultaneous stimuli. , 1980 .

[25]  J. Jonides.  Towards a model of the mind's eye's movement. , 1980, Canadian journal of psychology.

[26]  M. Posner,et al.  Attention and the detection of signals. , 1980, Journal of experimental psychology.

[27]  J. Duncan,et al.  Directing attention in the visual field , 1981, Perception & psychophysics.

[28]  J. Hoffman,et al.  Spatial selectivity in visual search , 1981, Perception & psychophysics.

[29]  R. Shepard,et al.  Distribution of visual attention over space. , 1983, Journal of experimental psychology. Human perception and performance.

[30]  Y Tsal,et al.  On interpreting the effects of location preknowledge: A critique of Duncan , 1983, Perception & psychophysics.

[31]  William Prinzmetal,et al.  Perceptual capacity limits in visual detection and search , 1983 .

[32]  J. Jonides.  Further toward a model of the Mind’s eye’s movement , 1983 .

[33]  D. LaBerge.  Spatial extent of attention to letters and words. , 1983, Journal of experimental psychology. Human perception and performance.

[34]  Y. Tsal.  Movements of attention across the visual field. , 1983, Journal of experimental psychology. Human perception and performance.

[35]  James R. Bergen,et al.  Parallel versus serial processing in rapid pattern discrimination , 1983, Nature.

[36]  S. Hillyard,et al.  Selective attention to color and location: An analysis with event-related brain potentials , 1984, Perception & psychophysics.