Distinguishing between the precision of attentional localization and attentional resolution.
Attentional resolution is a construct that refers to the minimal separation that allows one stimulus to be attended separately from nearby stimuli. The attentional walk task, which requires a series of covert shifts of attention within variably dense arrays of stimuli, was introduced as a method of measuring attentional resolution. Using a cuing task, we show that individual items within arrays that are too dense to support an attentional walk can nonetheless be attended. We note that the precision with which attention can be localized is, in principle, a limitation separate from attentional resolution and conclude that performance in the attentional walk task is better suited for measuring this limitation than for measuring attentional resolution per se.
Moore
Cathleen M
CM
Department of Psychology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242, USA. cathleen-moore@uiowa.edu
Lanagan-Leitzel
Lyndsey K
LK
Fine
Elisabeth M
EM
D001288:Attention; D003118:Color Perception; D006801:Humans; D011930:Reaction Time; D014796:Visual Perception