Nonuniform Changes in the Distribution of Visual Attention from Visual Complexity and Action: A Driving Simulation...

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Psychology
• Neuroscience
• Human Factors

Background:

• The relationship between action and attention is acknowledged but often studied separately.
• Previous research views action as a consequence of attention or correlates performance on distinct tasks.
• The impact of concurrent action on the spatial distribution of attention remains underexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how performing an action concurrently with spatial monitoring influences attention distribution.
• To assess the effects of visual complexity and concurrent action on the functional field of view (FFOV).
• To inform multifocal attention models by incorporating the role of action.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a functional field of view (FFOV) paradigm within a simulated driving environment.
• Embedded concurrent central object recognition and peripheral target localization tasks.
• Compared three conditions: no background, driving background, and driving background with vehicle steering.

Main Results:

• Increased visual complexity reduced FFOV size and slowed performance without altering baseline shape.
• Concurrent steering significantly shrank the FFOV and altered its shape, indicating a non-uniform attentional shift.
• Performance decrements were observed in regions relevant to the central and steering tasks.

Conclusions:

• Concurrent action, particularly steering, dynamically modulates the spatial distribution of attention.
• The functional field of view (FFOV) is not only reduced but also reshaped by active task engagement.
• Attention models must account for the influence of action and non-uniform attentional distributions.