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Using Rapid Serial Visual Presentation to Measure Set-Specific Capture, a Consequence of Distraction While Multitasking
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Attentional capture under high perceptual load.

Joshua D Cosman1, Shaun P Vecera

  • 1University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA. joshua-cosman@uiowa.edu

Psychonomic Bulletin & Review
|December 21, 2010
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Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Attentional capture by abrupt onsets is modulated by scene complexity. Infrequent onsets capture attention even under high perceptual load, challenging existing theories of attentional capture.

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Area of Science:

  • Cognitive Psychology
  • Neuroscience
  • Visual Attention

Background:

  • Attentional capture by abrupt onsets is a key phenomenon in visual attention.
  • Perceptual load theory suggests high task complexity reduces capture by irrelevant stimuli.
  • Recent findings indicate onset frequency influences attentional capture.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if onset frequency modulates attentional capture under high perceptual load.
  • To reconcile conflicting findings regarding perceptual load and stimulus-driven capture.

Main Methods:

  • An experiment manipulating onset frequency (frequent vs. infrequent) and perceptual load (high vs. low).
  • Participants performed a visual search task while monitoring for task-irrelevant abrupt onsets.

Main Results:

  • Replication of previous findings: high perceptual load reduced capture by frequent onsets.
  • Crucially, infrequent onsets robustly captured attention even under high perceptual load.
  • Onset frequency significantly interacted with perceptual load to influence attentional capture.

Conclusions:

  • A strong form of perceptual load theory is challenged by these findings.
  • Attentional capture is influenced by the interplay between perceptual load and stimulus properties like onset frequency.
  • Exposure to task elements combined with high load modulates capture by irrelevant information.