Inefficient visual search for second-order motion

Visual search rate was used to assess attentional resources required for detection of opposing motions defined either by luminance or by modulations of texture contrast, flicker, or size. Though luminance-based targets were detected quickly, search through second-order motion was slow. Control experiments ruled out stimuli visibility, complexity, eccentricity sensitivity, and attributes of the carrier as possible accounts. Results suggest separate processing of the two types of stimuli: Luminance-based motion is detected by spatiotemporal filters, whereas second-order motion is likely processed by a capacity-limited, later stage. Rate-reducing effects of increased contrast and speed mirrored previous research suggesting that effortful feature tracking may be the mechanism.