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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 16, 2026

Investigating the Deployment of Visual Attention Before Accurate and Averaging Saccades via Eye Tracking and Assessment of Visual Sensitivity
06:46

Investigating the Deployment of Visual Attention Before Accurate and Averaging Saccades via Eye Tracking and Assessment of Visual Sensitivity

Published on: March 18, 2019

Spatial and temporal attention revealed by microsaccades.

Alexander Pastukhov1, Victoria Vonau, Solveiga Stonkute

  • 1Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences, Magdeburg, Germany. pastukhov.alexander@gmail.com

Vision Research
|November 21, 2012
PubMed
Summary

Microsaccades continuously reflect attention allocation, not just during shifts or blinks. This study reveals how eye movements track attention, even when not actively responding to events.

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Area of Science:

  • Cognitive Neuroscience
  • Ophthalmology
  • Psychology

Background:

  • Microsaccades, small rapid eye movements, are crucial for visual processing.
  • Previous research on attention and microsaccades was limited by preparatory suppression effects.
  • Understanding the continuous relationship between attention and microsaccades is vital.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate how microsaccades reflect both continuous and transient aspects of attentional allocation.
  • To examine attentional shifts and attentional blinks using a novel rapid serial visual presentation (RSVP) paradigm.
  • To determine if microsaccades are modulated by ongoing attention beyond specific task events.

Main Methods:

  • Participants performed a visual search task with concurrent RSVP streams in peripheral vision.

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VisualEyes: A Modular Software System for Oculomotor Experimentation
10:41

VisualEyes: A Modular Software System for Oculomotor Experimentation

Published on: March 25, 2011

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 16, 2026

Investigating the Deployment of Visual Attention Before Accurate and Averaging Saccades via Eye Tracking and Assessment of Visual Sensitivity
06:46

Investigating the Deployment of Visual Attention Before Accurate and Averaging Saccades via Eye Tracking and Assessment of Visual Sensitivity

Published on: March 18, 2019

VisualEyes: A Modular Software System for Oculomotor Experimentation
10:41

VisualEyes: A Modular Software System for Oculomotor Experimentation

Published on: March 25, 2011

  • Attention was directed to a cued stream, with targets requiring discrimination.
  • Microsaccade activity was recorded during continuous attention, attention shifts, and attentional blinks.

    • Main Results:

    • Both attention shifts (stream changes) and attentional blinks (target discriminations) modulated microsaccade rate and direction.
    • Microsaccades not linked to specific events still showed directional alignment with the attended stream's meridian.
    • The RSVP paradigm successfully avoided preparatory suppression of microsaccades.

    Conclusions:

    • Attentional allocation continuously shapes microsaccadic activity.
    • Microsaccades serve as a real-time indicator of ongoing attentional states.
    • This research provides new insights into the dynamic interplay between attention and eye movements.