Abstract
We examined a visual search task, in which observers responded to the high-acuity aspect of a popout target (shape of an odd-colored diamond or vernier offset of an odd spatial-frequency patch). Repetition of the attention-driving feature (color or spatial frequency) in this task primes the popout; repetition of the high-acuity aspect (shape, vernier offset) does not. Priming of pop-out is due to a decaying memory trace of the attention-focusing feature laid down with each trial. The trace exerts a diminishing effect over the following five to eight trials (≈30 sec), and its influence over this time is cumulative. Observers cannot willfully overcome the priming, which suggests that it is passive and autonomous. Both target facilitation and distractor inhibition are evident; the former has a greater effect. The phenomenon shows complete binocular transfer.
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This work was supported by AFOSR Grant F49620-92-J-0016 to K.N.
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Maljkovic, V., Nakayama, K. Priming of pop-out: I. Role of features. Memory & Cognition 22, 657–672 (1994). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03209251
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03209251