PREATTENTIVE AND ATTENTIVE VISUAL INFORMATION PROCESSING

几条证据表明存在两个功能性的 独立的视觉系统 一个是前注意系统，它可以 快速、毫不费力地并行检测各种 有明显的特征。 另一个系统涉及重点关注; 当必须进行困难或复杂的鉴别时，使用该方法。 它连续不断地努力进行。 的一个主要目的 本研究旨在阐明前注意和焦点注意 进程在任务的执行中协作，并且，特别地， 前注意过程如何引导注意过程。 本研究的第二个主要目的是探索空间 注意力的属性。 这项工作将考虑的性质， 坐标系统，可以强调注意力过程。 是什么决定了加工过程是否是视网膜中心的， 基于环境、基于对象还是以对象为中心？ 一组实验将考虑允许一个 通过大型复杂显示器进行选择性搜索。 一些 以前的研究发现，受试者可以通过一个 复杂的数组而不被无关的 信息，而其他研究表明， 分散注意力的效果（如注意力被引人注目的 无关刺激）。 这项研究将试图确定 决定搜索效率的原则。 其他的实验研究了注意力 操作。 想象一下，例如，眼睛保持稳定， cue将注意力引向特定的位置。 此后不久，A 一个小的、模糊的目标。 探测这种目标的能力 当它出现在提示的位置附近时， 这看起来离提示很远。 问题是，什么空间 代表性调解性能的变化？ 是 性能由视网膜上的分离决定， 线索和目标，或通过他们的分离， 三维空间？ 假设线索福尔斯落在 object. 物体的结构是否决定了注意力 分配？ 这些和类似的问题将得到解决。

Several lines of evidence suggest the existence of two functionally separate visual systems. One is the preattentive system; it can quickly, effortlessly, and in parallel detect differences in a variety of conspicuous features. The other system involves focal attention; it is used when difficult or complex discriminations must be made. It proceeds serially and effortfully. One major purpose of the present research is to clarify how preattentive and focal attentive processes cooperate in the performance of tasks, and, in particular, how preattentive processes may guide attentive ones. A second major purpose of this research is to explore the spatial properties of attention. This work will consider the nature of the coordinate system(s) that may underline attentional processes. What determines whether processing is retinocentric, environmentally based, object based, or object centered? One set of experiments will consider the factors that permit a subject to search selectively through large, complex displays. Some previous studies have found that subjects can search through a complicated array without being distracted by irrelevant information, whereas other studies have shown a variety of distraction effects (such as attention being capture by conspicuous irrelevant stimuli). This research will attempt to ascertain the principles that determine the efficiency of search. Other experiments examine the medium in which attention operates. Imagine, for example, that with the eyes held steady a cue directs attention to a particular location. Shortly thereafter a small, faint, target is presented. The ability to detect such a target is greater when it appears near the location of the cue than when it appears far from the cue. The question is, What spatial representation mediates the changes in performance? Is performance determined by the separation on the retina between the cue and the target, or by their separation in perceived three-dimensional space? Suppose the cue falls on part of an object. Does the structure of the object determine how attention is allocated? These and similar questions will be addressed.