Segmentation and selection contribute to local processing in hierarchical analysis

2002 ◽  
Vol 55 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shihui Han ◽  
Glyn W. Humphreys

The present study examined the role of segmentation and selection processes when we respond to local elements in hierarchical stimuli. The ease of segmentation and selection of an individual local element from hierarchical patterns was manipulated by making one local element substantially distinct from the others in colour. Experiment 1 showed that, when attention was spread across the global and local levels in a divided attention task, the introduction of the local red element speeded responses to local targets but slowed responses when targets appeared at the global level. Experiment 2 used a selective attention task in which subjects responded only to the local or the global shapes across a block of trials. Under these circumstances, the local red element reduced global-to-local interference in addition to speeding local responses. The results suggest that the efficiency with which local elements are segmented and selected affects responses to local aspects of hierarchical patterns; furthermore, the effect of local pop-out on global processing is contingent on top-down attentional control settings.

2010 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 22-26
Author(s):  
María J. Blanca ◽  
Teresa Rodrigo ◽  
Rebecca Bendayan

Several studies of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) reveal an impaired capacity to integrate visual elements into global pictures, leading to a deficit in global processing of visual information. The aim of this paper was to explore global and local processing in people with AD at non-advanced stage. The Global and Local Attention Test (AGL; from the original Spanish: AGL-Atención global y local) was administered to a group of 100 participants with a mean age of 75.36 years. Fifty of them were AD patients at a mild or moderate stage, while the remainder comprised healthy elders. The AGL provides two scores that indicate speed and accuracy in analyzing global and local figures. Participants had to indicate the figures where the target appeared at either global or local levels in a divided attention task. The results showed lower accuracy in the AD group compared with controls. Also in the AD group, and in line with previous findings, accuracy in detecting the target was much lower at the global level than at the local level, thereby confirming the expected deficit in global processing associated with AD. This deficit did not vary according to sex or age.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Carrie Bailey

<p>Medication administration error contributes to deaths and injury in hospitals, especially in the area of anaesthesia. Labelling and packaging contribute to medication error. The current study examined the role of labelling and packaging in medication error and compared medically trained and medically naive participants.  Using eye-tracking equipment, Study 1A investigated the distribution of fixations across 32 pre-existing medication labels and packages. Both groups of participants fixated less on the dose and top of medications than on the name and ‘other’ features. Both medical experience and packaging type influenced on which label areas participants fixated. Medical participants fixated on dose more than control participants; there were no other differences between groups.  In Study 1B participants viewed a target medication, they were then asked whether it was present in an array. The target was present in 50% of arrays. Distractors varied in similarity to the target. Signal detection theory analysis of discriminability through d’ revealed that medical participants were significantly better than control participants at discriminating whether or not the target was in the array. Bias analyses through C revealed that there was no difference between the biases of the two groups. Both groups of participants adopted a liberal criterion which increased the occurrence of false alarms. Across all trials, participants were most likely to select a distractor that differed only in the dose of the medication.  Divided attention can increase medication error rates, therefore Study 1C utilised the same procedure as Study 1B and added a divided attention task. During the divided attention task participants saw a string of either five or seven letters and were later asked to recall one of the letters. Both groups of participants recalled fewer letters in the seven-letter compared to five-letter condition. There was no difference in the overall performance of the two groups on the divided attention task. Both groups showed a significant reduction in discriminability under the seven- compared to five-letter divided attention condition. Medical participants had significantly higher discriminability indices than control participants. Both groups of participants adopted a liberal criterion, however control participants were more biased than medical professionals. Control participants displayed an increase in bias in the seven-letter, compared to five-letter condition; the bias of medical participants was not influenced by the divided attention task. As in Study 1B, participants were most likely to select a distractor that differed only in the dose of the medication.</p>


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Carrie Bailey

<p>Medication administration error contributes to deaths and injury in hospitals, especially in the area of anaesthesia. Labelling and packaging contribute to medication error. The current study examined the role of labelling and packaging in medication error and compared medically trained and medically naive participants.  Using eye-tracking equipment, Study 1A investigated the distribution of fixations across 32 pre-existing medication labels and packages. Both groups of participants fixated less on the dose and top of medications than on the name and ‘other’ features. Both medical experience and packaging type influenced on which label areas participants fixated. Medical participants fixated on dose more than control participants; there were no other differences between groups.  In Study 1B participants viewed a target medication, they were then asked whether it was present in an array. The target was present in 50% of arrays. Distractors varied in similarity to the target. Signal detection theory analysis of discriminability through d’ revealed that medical participants were significantly better than control participants at discriminating whether or not the target was in the array. Bias analyses through C revealed that there was no difference between the biases of the two groups. Both groups of participants adopted a liberal criterion which increased the occurrence of false alarms. Across all trials, participants were most likely to select a distractor that differed only in the dose of the medication.  Divided attention can increase medication error rates, therefore Study 1C utilised the same procedure as Study 1B and added a divided attention task. During the divided attention task participants saw a string of either five or seven letters and were later asked to recall one of the letters. Both groups of participants recalled fewer letters in the seven-letter compared to five-letter condition. There was no difference in the overall performance of the two groups on the divided attention task. Both groups showed a significant reduction in discriminability under the seven- compared to five-letter divided attention condition. Medical participants had significantly higher discriminability indices than control participants. Both groups of participants adopted a liberal criterion, however control participants were more biased than medical professionals. Control participants displayed an increase in bias in the seven-letter, compared to five-letter condition; the bias of medical participants was not influenced by the divided attention task. As in Study 1B, participants were most likely to select a distractor that differed only in the dose of the medication.</p>


2015 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 705
Author(s):  
Antonio Prieto ◽  
Pedro Raúl Montoro

<p>Previous studies on the visual processing of hierarchical stimuli showed that responses to targets presented either in the local or in the global level were faster when the target was presented at the same hierarchical level as the previous trial (sequential priming effect). In the present work, a new attentional priming paradigm was developed in order to explore this sequential effect by means of a within-trial design. For this purpose, two experiments were conducted manipulating attention (selective vs divided), congruency and stimulus size. Results suggested that the main factor underlying the sequential priming effect was the hierarchical level attended, at least in a selective attention task (Experiment 1). In addition, the stimulus size modulated the sequential priming effect in a divided attention task (Experiment 2). Interestingly, the sequential priming effect was only reliable when incongruent stimuli were presented.</p><p>Keywords: Priming, selective attention, divided attention, hierarchical stimuli, global/local processing.</p>


2005 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 235-242 ◽  
Author(s):  
Astrid von Bueren Jarchow ◽  
Bogdan P. Radanov ◽  
Lutz Jäncke

Abstract: The aim of the present study was to examine to what extent chronic pain has an impact on various attentional processes. To measure these attention processes a set of experimental standard tests of the “Testbatterie zur Aufmerksamkeitsprüfung” (TAP), a neuropsychological battery testing different levels of attention, were used: alertness, divided attention, covert attention, vigilance, visual search, and Go-NoGo tasks. 24 chronic outpatients and 24 well-matched healthy control subjects were tested. The control subjects were matched for age, gender, and education. The group of chronic pain patients exhibited marked deficiencies in all attentional functions except for the divided attention task. Thus, the data supports the notion that chronic pain negatively influences attention because pain patients` attention is strongly captivated by the internal pain stimuli. Only the more demanding divided attention task has the capability to distract the focus of attention to the pain stimuli. Therefore, the pain patients are capable of performing within normal limits. Based on these findings chronic pain patients' attentional deficits should be appropriately evaluated and considered for insurance and work related matters. The effect of a successful distraction away from the pain in the divided attention task can also open new therapeutic aspects.


2003 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 283-292 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. Sturm ◽  
B. Fimm ◽  
A. Cantagallo ◽  
N. Cremel ◽  
P. North ◽  
...  

Abstract: In a multicenter European approach, the efficacy of the AIXTENT computerized training programs for intensity aspects (alertness and vigilance) and selectivity aspects (selective and divided attention) of attention was studied in 33 patients with brain damage of vascular and traumatic etiology. Each patient received training in one of two most impaired of the four attention domains. Control tests were performed by means of a standardized computerized attention test battery (TAP) comprising tests for the four attention functions. Assessment was carried out at the beginning and at the end of a four week baseline period and after the training period of 14 one-hour sessions. At the end of the baseline phase, there was only slight but significant improvement for the most complex attention function, divided attention (number of omissions). After the training, there were significant specific training effects for both intensity aspects (alertness and vigilance) and also for the number of omissions in the divided attention task. The application of inferential single case procedures revealed a high number of significant improvements in individual cases after specific training of alertness and vigilance problems. On the other hand, a non specific training addressing selectivity aspects of attention lead either to improvement or deterioration of alertness and vigilance performance. The results corroborate the findings of former studies with the same training instrument but in patients with different lesion etiologies.


2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 107-119
Author(s):  
Michal Kubát ◽  
Maciej Hartliński

AbstractThe aim of this article is to analyse the role and importance of leaders in the Czech populist parties and movements, as well as determining significant factors which condition their institutionalisation. The main focus will be placed on the role of leaders in establishing their respective parties, their formal position and intraparty selection processes in VV, ANO, SPD and ÚPD. Examples of actions taken by the leaders of ANO and SPD show that building populist parties on the foundation of the strong, formal and official position of the leader in their party as well as becoming open to more members prove effective when it comes to the discussed issues...


Author(s):  
Tomas Kačerauskas

The paper deals with the indices of creative cities. Author analyses the different creativity indices suggested by both the followers and the critics of R. Florida. The author criticizes the Florida’s indices such as Bohemian, Melting pot, Gay, High tech, Innovation, Talent indices, as well as Minor integrative (diversity) and Major integrative indices. The indices of other authors presuppose the questions about the role of the region in defining certain creativity indices. The author makes conclusion that the uniform formula of creativity indices is impossible for two reasons. First, the creativity indices depend on the region of a city. Second, the very strategy to have the uniform creativity indices makes the cities similar to each other and no more unique, consequently, no more creative; as result, this strategy is anti-creative.


2015 ◽  
Vol 47 (5) ◽  
pp. 378-385 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sheila de Melo Borges ◽  
Márcia Radanovic ◽  
Orestes Vicente Forlenza

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