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Attentional resources in visual tracking through occlusion: the high-beams effect
Jonathan I Flombaum1, Brian J Scholl, Zenon W Pylyshyn
1Department of Psychology, Yale University, Box 208205, New Haven, CT 06520-8205, USA. Jonathan.Flombaum@yale.edu
Cognition
|February 22, 2008
Summary
Even invisible objects draw attention during visual tracking. Tracking occluded objects requires special attentional resources, a finding that challenges previous assumptions about visual attention.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Visual Perception
Background:
- The visual system uses heuristics to track objects during occlusion.
- Limited research exists on the attentional resources supporting object tracking through occlusion.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate attentional distribution during multiple object tracking when featurally identical objects are occluded.
- To identify novel attentional effects related to object occlusion and tracking.
Main Methods:
- Observers tracked multiple objects, some of which became occluded.
- A probe detection task was used to measure attention distribution across targets, distractors, occluders, and empty space.
- Probe detection rates served as an index of attention allocation.
Main Results:
- Object-based attention is recruited even for occluded (invisible) objects.
- Attention to both targets and distractors was higher during occlusion than when visible, termed the "attentional high-beams effect".
Conclusions:
- Occluded objects actively recruit object-based attention.
- Tracking objects through occlusion necessitates the active allocation of specialized attentional resources, contrary to the perception of effortless tracking.
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