Supplemental Material for Probability Cueing of Singleton-Distractor Locations in Visual Search: Priority-Map- Versus Dimension-Based Inhibition?

2019 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Visual Search ◽  
Singleton Distractor ◽  
Priority Map

scholarly journals Probability cueing of singleton-distractor locations in visual search: priority-map‐ or dimension-based inhibition?

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bei Zhang ◽  
Fredrik Allenmark ◽  
Heinrich R. Liesefeld ◽  
Zhuanghua Shi ◽  
Hermann J. Müller
Keyword(s):  
Visual Search ◽  
Target Location ◽  
Negative Bias ◽  
Distractor Location ◽  
Strong Suppression ◽  
Singleton Distractor ◽  
Priority Map ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Search Guidance ◽  
Different Levels

ABSTRACTObservers can learn the likely locations of salient distractors in visual search, reducing their potential to capture attention (Ferrante et al., 2018; Sauter et al., 2018a; Wang & Theeuwes, 2018a). While there is agreement that this involves positional suppression of the likely distractor location(s), it is contentious at which stage of search guidance the suppression operates: the supra-dimensional priority map or feature-contrast signals within the distractor dimension. On the latter account, advocated by Sauter et al., target processing should be unaffected by distractor suppression when the target is defined in a different (non-suppressed) dimension to the target. At odds with this, Wang and Theeuwes found strong suppression not only of the (color) distractor, but also of the (shape) target when it appeared at the likely distractor location. Adopting their paradigm, the present study ruled out that increased cross-trial inhibition of the single frequent (frequently inhibited) as compared to any of the rare (rarely inhibited) distractor locations is responsible for this target-location effect. However, a reduced likelihood of the target appearing at the frequent vs. a rare distractor location contributes to this effect: removing this negative bias abolished the cost to target processing with increasing practice, indicative of a transition from priority-map‐ to dimension-based – and thus a flexible locus of – distractor suppression.Public Significance StatementDistraction by a salient visual stimulus outside the ‘focus’ of the task at hand occurs frequently. The present study examined whether and how ‘knowledge’ of the likely location(s) where the distractors occur helps the observer to mitigate distraction. The results confirmed that observers can learn to suppress distracting stimuli at likely locations. Further, they showed that, the suppression may occur at different levels in the hierarchically organized visual system where the priorities of which objects to be attended in the environment are determined.

scholarly journals Probability cueing of singleton-distractor locations in visual search: Priority-map- versus dimension-based inhibition?

2019 ◽  
Vol 45 (9) ◽  
pp. 1146-1163 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bei Zhang ◽  
Fredrik Allenmark ◽  
Heinrich René Liesefeld ◽  
Zhuanghua Shi ◽  
Hermann J. Müller
Keyword(s):  
Visual Search ◽  
Singleton Distractor ◽  
Priority Map

scholarly journals Independent effects of statistical learning and top-down attention

2020 ◽  
Vol 82 (8) ◽  
pp. 3895-3906
Author(s):  
Ya Gao ◽  
Jan Theeuwes
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Statistical Learning ◽  
Spatial Working Memory ◽  
Attentional Selection ◽  
Top Down ◽  
Singleton Distractor ◽  
Priority Map ◽  
Implicit Biases ◽  
Target Experiment ◽  
Independent Effects

Abstract It is well known that spatial attention can be directed in a top-down way to task-relevant locations in space. In addition, through visual statistical learning (VSL), attention can be biased towards relevant (target) locations and away from irrelevant (distractor) locations. The present study investigates the interaction between the explicit task-relevant, top-down attention and the lingering attentional biases due to VSL. We wanted to determine the contribution of each of these two processes to attentional selection. In the current study, participants performed a search task while keeping a location in spatial working memory. In Experiment 1, the target appeared more often in one location, and appeared less often in other location. In Experiment 2, a color singleton distractor was presented more often in location than in all other locations. The results show that when the search target matched the location that was kept in working memory, participants were much faster at responding to the search target than when it did not match, signifying top-down attentional selection. Independent of this top-down effect, we found a clear effect of VSL as responses were even faster when target (Experiment 1) or the distractor (Experiment 2) was presented at a more likely location in visual field. We conclude that attentional selection is driven by implicit biases due to statistical learning and by explicit top-down processing, each process individually and independently modulating the neural activity within the spatial priority map.

scholarly journals Dynamics of the priority map in LIP during visual search

2010 ◽  
Vol 8 (6) ◽  
pp. 991-991
Author(s):  
K. Mirpour ◽  
F. Arcizet ◽  
J. Bisley
Keyword(s):  
Visual Search ◽  
Priority Map

scholarly journals Proactive distractor suppression elicited by statistical regularities in visual search

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Changrun Huang ◽  
Ana Vilotijević ◽  
Jan Theeuwes ◽  
Mieke Donk
Keyword(s):  
Visual Search ◽  
Statistical Learning ◽  
High Probability ◽  
Search Task ◽  
Reaction Times ◽  
Distractor Interference ◽  
Probe Task ◽  
Priority Map ◽  
Statistical Regularities ◽  
Low Probability

AbstractIrrelevant salient objects may capture our attention and interfere with visual search. Recently, it was shown that distraction by a salient object is reduced when it is presented more frequently at one location than at other locations. The present study investigates whether this reduced distractor interference is the result of proactive spatial suppression, implemented prior to display onset, or reactive suppression, occurring after attention has been directed to that location. Participants were asked to search for a shape singleton in the presence of an irrelevant salient color singleton which was presented more often at one location (the high-probability location) than at all other locations (the low-probability locations). On some trials, instead of the search task, participants performed a probe task, in which they had to detect the offset of a probe dot. The results of the search task replicated previous findings showing reduced distractor interference in trials in which the salient distractor was presented at the high-probability location as compared with the low-probability locations. The probe task showed that reaction times were longer for probes presented at the high-probability location than at the low-probability locations. These results indicate that through statistical learning the location that is likely to contain a distractor is suppressed proactively (i.e., prior to display onset). It suggests that statistical learning modulates the first feed-forward sweep of information processing by deprioritizing locations that are likely to contain a distractor in the spatial priority map.

scholarly journals Selective Influence and Sequential Operations: A Research Strategy for Visual Search

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kaleb A. Lowe ◽  
Thomas R. Reppert ◽  
Jeffrey D Schall
Keyword(s):  
Visual Search ◽  
Cognitive Processes ◽  
Experimental Approach ◽  
Research Strategy ◽  
Response Mapping ◽  
Stimulus Response ◽  
Singleton Distractor ◽  
Visual Encoding ◽  
Processing Architectures ◽  
Selective Influence

ABSTRACTWe introduce conceptually and empirically a powerful but underutilized experimental approach to dissect the cognitive processes supporting performance of a visual search task with factorial manipulations of singleton-distractor identifiability and stimulus-response cue discriminability. We show that systems factorial technology can distinguish processing architectures from the performance of macaque monkeys. This demonstration offers new opportunities to distinguish neural mechanisms through selective manipulation of visual encoding, search selection, rule encoding, and stimulus-response mapping.

scholarly journals Reward learning and statistical learning independently influence attentional priority of salient distractors in visual search

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mike Le Pelley ◽  
Poppy Watson ◽  
Jan Theeuwes ◽  
Steven Most
Keyword(s):  
Visual Search ◽  
Statistical Learning ◽  
Prior Experience ◽  
Visual Stimuli ◽  
Reward Learning ◽  
Selection History ◽  
Priority Map

Existing research demonstrates different ways in which attentional prioritisation of visual stimuli is shaped by prior experience: reward learning renders signals of high-value outcomes more likely to capture attention than signals of low-value outcomes, whereas statistical learning can produce attentional suppression of the location in which salient distractor items are likely to appear. The current study combined manipulations of the value and location associated with distractors in visual search to investigate whether these different effects of selection history operate independently, or interact to determine overall attentional prioritisation of salient distractors. In Experiment 1, high- and low-value distractors most frequently appeared in the same location; in Experiment 2, high- and low-value distractors typically appeared in distinct locations. In both experiments, effects of distractor value and location were additive, suggesting that attention-promoting effects of value and attention-suppressing effects of physical salience independently modulate overall attentional priority. Our findings are consistent with a view that sees attention as mediated by a common priority map that receives and integrates separate signals relating to physical salience and value.

scholarly journals Reward learning and statistical learning independently influence attentional priority of salient distractors in visual search

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mike E. Le Pelley ◽  
Rhonda Ung ◽  
Chisato Mine ◽  
Steven B. Most ◽  
Poppy Watson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Visual Search ◽  
Statistical Learning ◽  
Prior Experience ◽  
Reward Learning ◽  
Incentive Salience ◽  
Selection History ◽  
Signal Suppression ◽  
Priority Map

AbstractExisting research demonstrates different ways in which attentional prioritization of salient nontarget stimuli is shaped by prior experience: Reward learning renders signals of high-value outcomes more likely to capture attention than signals of low-value outcomes, whereas statistical learning can produce attentional suppression of the location in which salient distractor items are likely to appear. The current study combined manipulations of the value and location associated with salient distractors in visual search to investigate whether these different effects of selection history operate independently or interact to determine overall attentional prioritization of salient distractors. In Experiment 1, high-value and low-value distractors most frequently appeared in the same location; in Experiment 2, high-value and low-value distractors typically appeared in distinct locations. In both experiments, effects of distractor value and location were additive, suggesting that attention-promoting effects of value and attention-suppressing effects of statistical location-learning independently modulate overall attentional priority. Our findings are consistent with a view that sees attention as mediated by a common priority map that receives and integrates separate signals relating to physical salience and value, with signal suppression based on statistical learning determined by physical salience, but not incentive salience.

scholarly journals History-driven modulations of population codes in early visual cortex during visual search

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kirsten C.S. Adam ◽  
John T. Serences
Keyword(s):  
Visual Cortex ◽  
Visual Search ◽  
Search Task ◽  
Visual Search Task ◽  
Behavioral Effects ◽  
Priority Map ◽  
Population Codes ◽  
Trial History ◽  
Early Visual Cortex ◽  
Sensory Responses

AbstractTo find important objects, we must focus on our goals, ignore distractions, and take our changing environment into account. This is formalized in models of visual search whereby goal-driven, stimulus-driven and history-driven factors are integrated into a priority map that guides attention. History is invoked to explain behavioral effects that are neither wholly goal-driven nor stimulus-driven, but whether history likewise alters goal-driven and/or stimulus-driven signatures of neural priority is unknown. We measured fMRI responses in human visual cortex during a visual search task where trial history was manipulated (colors switched unpredictably or repeated). History had a near-constant impact on responses to singleton distractors, but not targets, from V1 through parietal cortex. In contrast, history-independent target enhancement was absent in V1 but increased across regions. Our data suggest that history does not alter goal-driven search templates, but rather modulates canonically stimulus-driven sensory responses to create a temporally-integrated representation of priority.

scholarly journals Across-trial spatial suppression in visual search

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lishuang Wang ◽  
Benchi Wang ◽  
Jan Theeuwes
Keyword(s):  
Visual Search ◽  
Statistical Learning ◽  
Consistent Pattern ◽  
Priority Map ◽  
Attentional System

AbstractIn order to focus on objects of interest, humans must be able to avoid distraction by salient stimuli that are not relevant to the task at hand. Many recent studies have shown that through statistical learning we are able to suppress the location that is most likely to contain a salient distractor. Here we demonstrate a remarkable flexibility in attentional suppression. Participants had to search for a shape singleton while a color distractor singleton was present. Unbeknown to the participant, the color distractor was presented according to a consistent pattern across trials. Our findings show that participants learn this distractor sequence as they proactively suppressed the anticipated location of the distractor on the next trial. Critically, none of the participants were aware of these hidden sequences. We conclude that the spatial priority map is highly flexible, operating at a subconscious level preparing the attentional system for what will happen next.

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