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An Operant Intra-/Extra-dimensional Set-shift Task for Mice
Published on: January 22, 2016
Does attention have different effects on line orientation and line arrangement discrimination?
M Cheal1, D R Lyon, D C Hubbard
1University of Dayton Research Institute, Higley, AZ 85236-2020.
Summary
Discriminating line orientation requires less focal attention than discriminating line arrangement. Both tasks are hindered when attention must shift away from an irrelevant location.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive psychology
- Visual perception
- Attention studies
Background:
- Previous research suggests orientation discrimination occurs without focal attention, while arrangement discrimination requires it.
- The role of attention locus in these tasks has not been fully explored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the differential effects of focal attention on discriminating line orientation versus line arrangement.
- To examine how manipulating attention affects performance in these visual discrimination tasks.
Main Methods:
- Two experiments were conducted using peripheral cues to direct attention to target locations.
- Participants performed forced-choice tasks discriminating targets based on line orientation or line arrangement.
- Stimulus onset asynchrony (SOA) and attentional misdirection were manipulated.
Main Results:
- Discrimination of line orientation showed minimal benefit from increased cue-target stimulus onset asynchrony (SOA).
- Discrimination of line arrangement was significantly facilitated by longer SOAs.
- Both orientation and arrangement discrimination performance decreased when attention was misdirected.
Conclusions:
- Focal attention benefits line arrangement discrimination more than line orientation discrimination.
- Both types of visual discrimination are impaired when attention must be disengaged from irrelevant spatial locations.
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