A random scan is a quicker way to find items in a display than a systematic search.
Abstract
How swiftly can the object of your attention be changed? Consider two ways to deploy attention: it can be commanded from place to place by a deliberate act of will, or it can run freely without specific instruction. Here we use a visual search task to show that deliberate movement of attention is significantly slower because of an internal limit on the speed of volitional commands.
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References
Wolfe, J. M. in Attention (ed. Pashler, H.) 13–74 (Psychology Press, Hove, UK, 1998).
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Horowitz, T. S. & Wolfe, J. M. Nature 394, 575–577 (1998).
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Wolfe, J., Alvarez, G. & Horowitz, T. Attention is fast but volition is slow. Nature 406, 691 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1038/35021132
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/35021132
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