The space of an object: object attention alters the spatial gradient in the surround

Although object-based attention enhances perceptual processing of information appearing within the boundaries of a selected object, little is known about the consequences for information in the object's surround. The authors show that distance from an attended object's center of mass determines reaction time (RT) to targets in the surround. Of 2 targets in the surround, both equidistant from a cue, the target closer to the center of mass was detected faster. Moreover, RT was shown to be a linear function of distance from the center of mass of a fixed, attended object, and changes to the shape of the object and its center of mass predictably altered RT. Object-based attention leads to a pattern of facilitation in the surround that may contribute to the organization of visual scenes.