Masking effects with targets and nontargets of varying similarity.

Abstract The relationship between various types of masking, similarity of flanking nontarget shapes to that of a parafoveally presented target character, and target identification accuracy was examined in two experiments. In experiment 1 detection of a gap in a circle or square was more accurate when the target was flanked by two instances of the same shape as the target, but only with energy-limited displays. Pattern masking eliminated the facilitation with identically-shaped flankers and target. In experiment 2 performance was better when a target letter was flanked by letters which were identical in shape to the target or similar in shape (the alternative target) than when the flankers were dissimilar in shape to the target (from a nontarget set). However, performance was best when the target appeared alone, showing a stronger effect of lateral masking than of facilitation. Results were explained with reference to a comparison process which operates only under energy-masking conditions.

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