Independent mechanisms for dividing attention between the motion and the color of dynamic random dot patterns

The present study investigated the division of attention between different visual attributes, which is a cognitive function implicated in the selection of information in a given condition. To examine the underlying mechanisms, we focused on motion and color as visual attributes. In Experiment 1, performance on single- and dual-judgment for motion and color of dynamic random dot patterns presented in a restricted visual field was examined under different priority conditions. Accuracy was the same for single- and dual-task conditions, and the attention operating characteristic (AOC) analysis indicated that motion and color perception do not share the same processing capacity. In addition, correlation analysis indicated that, on a trial-by-trial basis, performance on motion and color was considerably independent. In Experiment 2, a brief lateral cue preceded the dynamic random dot patterns. The cue affected only motion-judgment, even under dual-task conditions of motion and color. These results suggest that dividing attention between motion and color involves independent mechanisms.