The spread of attention and learning in feature search: effects of target distribution and task difficulty
The spread of attention and learning in feature search: effects of target distribution and task difficulty
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DOI：
10.1016/s0042-6989(00)00002-x
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发表时间：
2000-01-01
期刊：
影响因子：
1.8
通讯作者：
Hochstein, S
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Ahissar, M;Hochstein, S
我们考察了空间注意的两个决定因素在控制知觉学习传播中的作用，即刺激位置分布和任务难度。受试者接受了关于检测嵌入在具有其他均匀取向的灯条阵列中的具有奇数取向的目标元素的训练。为了评估目标分配对注意力和学习的影响，对目标位置进行了分配，以便不仅将注意力分配到目标位置本身，还分配到目标没有出现的中间位置。目标检测性能显著提高，并且改进扩展到匹配诱导的空间注意窗口，而不仅仅是实际的目标位置。为了评估任务难度对注意力和学习扩散的影响，操纵了目标-分心定向差异和可用于加工的时间间隔。此外，我们比较了检测难度较大的受试者和检测难度较小的受试者的表现。出现了一个一致的模式：当任务变得更加困难时，注意力的窗口缩小，学习变得更加本地化。我们的结论是，特定任务的空间注意是诱导学习的必要条件和充分条件。空间注意的传播，从而学习的传播，是由目标分布和任务难度的综合效应决定的。我们提出了一个理论框架，通过这些因素的结合来确定注意力焦点的大脑皮层水平，这反过来又使得学习修改成为可能。(C)2000爱思唯尔科学有限公司。保留所有权利。
We examined the roles of two determinants of spatial attention in governing the spread of perceptual learning, namely, stimulus location distribution and task difficulty. Subjects were trained on detection of a target element with an odd orientation imbedded in an array of light bars with otherwise uniform orientation. To assess the effects of target distribution on attention and learning, target positions were distributed so that attention was allocated not only to the target positions themselves, but also to intermediate positions where the target was not presented. Target detection performance substantially improved and improvement spread to match the induced window of spatial attention rather than only the actual target locations. To assess the effect of task difficulty on the spread of attention and learning, the target-distracter orientation difference and the time interval available for processing were manipulated. In addition, we compared performance of subjects with more versus with less detection difficulty. A consistent pattern emerged: When the task becomes more difficult, the window of attention shrinks, and learning becomes more localized. We conclude that task-specific spatial attention is both necessary and sufficient to induce learning. The spread of spatial attention, and thus of learning, is determined by the integrated effects of target distribution and task difficulty. We propose a theoretical framework whereby these factors combine to determine the cortical level of the focus of attention, which in turn enables learning modifications. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.