ERIC Number: EJ734745
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2005-Jun
Pages: 16
Abstractor: Author
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0096-1523
EISSN: N/A
Response Selection Modulates Visual Search within and across Dimensions
Mortier, Karen; Theeuwes, Jan; Starreveld, Peter
Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, v31 n3 p542-557 Jun 2005
In feature search tasks, uncertainty about the dimension on which targets differ from the nontargets hampers search performance relative to a situation in which this dimension is known in advance. Typically, these cross-dimensional costs are associated with less efficient guidance of attention to the target. In the present study, participants either had to perform a feature search task or had to perform a nonsearch task, that is, respond to a target presented without nontargets. The target varied either in one dimension or across dimensions. The results showed similar effects both in search and nonsearch conditions: Preknowledge of the target dimension gave shorter response times than when the dimension was unknown. Similar results were found using a trial-by-trial cueing. It is concluded that effects that typically have been attributed to early top-down modulation of attentional guidance may represent effects that occur later in processing.
Descriptors: Visual Perception, Visual Stimuli, Cues, Attention, Experimental Psychology, Psychological Studies, Reaction Time, Responses
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A