Interruption in visual search: a systematic review

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Psychology
• Human Factors
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Visual search is a fundamental cognitive task, but the effects of interruptions are less understood.
• Existing research on interrupted visual search presents diverse and sometimes conflicting results across different fields.
• A systematic review is needed to synthesize current knowledge and provide a unified perspective.

Approach:

• Conducted a systematic review of 28 studies on interrupted visual search.
• Categorized studies based on three key dimensions: search environment, interruption aftermath, and interrupting event type.
• Analyzed findings to identify patterns and inconsistencies in the effects of interruptions.

Key Points:

• Interruptions significantly impact visual search performance, though effects vary based on interruption characteristics.
• The nature of the search environment and the type of interruption influence the degree of disruption.
• Understanding the aftermath of an interruption is crucial for predicting search recovery.

Conclusions:

• A foundational scheme for understanding interrupted visual search has been established.
• The proposed categorization facilitates a more cohesive understanding of diverse research findings.
• Identified future research directions to further elucidate the complexities of interrupted visual search.