title: Attentional capture modulates perceptual sensitivity.
abstract: The present study was designed to determine the spatial distribution of attention in displays in which an irrelevant color singleton was present. The results show that the presence of an irrelevant color singleton modulates target detectability (d'). The presence of an irrelevant singleton reduces the gain for input at the target location, particularly when the irrelevant color singleton was close to the target singleton. In line with earlier claims, it is argued that the capture of attention by the irrelevant singleton causes a reduced sensory input at the target location.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cognitive Psychology, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. j.theeuwes@psy.vu.nl
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Theeuwes
authors.forename: Arthur F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Kramer
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kingstone
mesh_terms: D001288:Attention; D006801:Humans; D011897:Random Allocation; D011930:Reaction Time; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013028:Space Perception