title: Tracking attention with the focus-window technique: the information filter must be calibrated.
abstract: Many researchers have recommended the focus-window tracking (FWT) technique to study the course of information acquisition and visual attention. In FWT, the stimulus is blurred, and the subject scans for information by moving a clear window with a computer mouse. We show that poor calibration of the blur filter will bias search behavior in FWT because diagnostically useful information may leak through a filter even though the subjects are unaware of it. To provide a valid index of information acquisition, FWT requires an information filter that is calibrated to the task.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada. mike@psyc.queensu.ca
authors.forename: Michael N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: D J K
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Mewhort
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D002138:Calibration; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004193:Discrimination Learning; D005133:Eye Movements / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007600:Judgment; D009864:Ontario; D011589:Psychology, Experimental / Q000295:instrumentation*; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology*