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Updated: May 26, 2026

A Dual Task Procedure Combined with Rapid Serial Visual Presentation to Test Attentional Blink for Nontargets
Published on: December 5, 2014
Perception in the absence of attention: perceptual processing in the Roelofs effect during inattentional blindness
William B Lathrop1, Bruce Bridgeman, Philip Tseng
1Electronics Research Laboratory, Volkswagen Group of America, Belmont, CA, USA. brian.lathrop@vw.com
Abstract:
We present two experiments that examine sensory processing during conditions of inattentional blindness. A large rectangular frame that normally induces a Roelofs effect can go unreported due to inattentional blindness. Even when participants fail to report the frame, they mislocalize an attended target in a way consistent with having processed the frame. A more demanding visuospatial distractor task can increase inattentional blindness during conditions of divided attention, but has no effect on the spatial mislocalization illusion. Our results support theories that postulate a significant amount of perceptual processing in the absence of attention.
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