Non-transient luminance changes do not capture attention

Cole, Geoff G.; Kuhn, Gustav; Skarratt, Paul A.

Abstract

The processing of luminance change is a ubiquitous feature of the human visual system and provides the basis for the rapid orienting of attention to potentially important events (e.g., motion onset, object onset). However, despite its importance for attentional capture, it is not known whether a luminance change attracts attention solely because of its status as a sensory transient or can attract attention at a relatively high cognitive level. In a series of six experiments, we presented visual displays in which a single object underwent a luminance change that was either visible or obscured by a mask. A target then appeared either at the change location or elsewhere. The results showed that the luminance change attracted attention only in the visible condition. This was even observed with the largest change we could generate (> 75 cd/m(2)). These data suggest that the importance of a luminance change is only in its status as a low-level sensory transient.

Citation

Cole, G. G., Kuhn, G., & Skarratt, P. A. (2011). Non-transient luminance changes do not capture attention. Attention, Perception, and Psychophysics, 73(5), 1407-1421. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13414-011-0118-6

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Online Publication Date: Apr 15, 2011
• Publication Date: Jul 1, 2011
• Deposit Date: Nov 13, 2014
• Journal: Attention Perception & Psychophysics
• Print ISSN: 1943-3921
• Electronic ISSN: 1943-393X
• Publisher: Springer Verlag
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 73
• Issue: 5
• Pages: 1407-1421
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/s13414-011-0118-6
• Keywords: Vision Attention Motion Luminance Object onset change detection paradigm displaywide visual features change blindness object onset prioritizing selection koniocellular pathway chromatic gratings spatial-frequency target detection control settings, REF 201
• Public URL: https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/462573
• Publisher URL: https://link.springer.com/article/10.3758%2Fs13414-011-0118-6