Looming motion primes the visuomotor system

Skarratt, Paul A.; Gellatly, Angus R. H.; Cole, Geoff G.; Pilling, Michael; Hulleman, Johan

Abstract

A wealth of evidence now shows that human and animal observers display greater sensitivity to objects that move toward them than to objects that remain static or move away. Increased sensitivity in humans is often evidenced by reaction times that increase in rank order from looming, to receding, to static targets. However, it is not clear whether the processing advantage enjoyed by looming motion is mediated by the attention system or the motor system. The present study investigated this by first examining whether sensitivity is to looming motion per se or to certain monocular or binocular cues that constitute stereoscopic motion in depth. None of the cues accounted for the looming advantage. A perceptual measure was then used to examine performance with minimal involvement of the motor system. Results showed that looming and receding motion were equivalent in attracting attention, suggesting that the looming advantage is indeed mediated by the motor system. These findings suggest that although motion itself is sufficient for attentional capture, motion direction can prime motor responses. © 2013 American Psychological Association.

Citation

Skarratt, P. A., Gellatly, A. R. H., Cole, G. G., Pilling, M., & Hulleman, J. (2014). Looming motion primes the visuomotor system. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 40(2), 566-579. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0034456

• Publication Date: 2014-03
• Deposit Date: Nov 13, 2014
• Publicly Available Date: Nov 23, 2017
• Journal: Journal of experimental psychology : human perception and performance
• Print ISSN: 0096-1523
• Electronic ISSN: 0096-1523
• Publisher: American Psychological Association
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 40
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 566-579
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/a0034456
• Keywords: Attentional capture; Motor priming; Looming; Receding; Motion
• Public URL: https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/471419
• Publisher URL: http://psycnet.apa.org/index.cfm?fa=search.displayrecord&uid=2013-35116-001
• Additional Information: Author's accepted manuscript of article published in: Journal of experimental psychology : human perception and performance, 2013, v.40, issue 2