The serial process in visual search.
The conditions for serial search are described. A multiple target search methodology (Thornton & Gilden, 2007) is used to home in on the simplest target/distractor contrast that effectively mandates a serial scheduling of attentional resources. It is found that serial search is required when (a) targets and distractors are mirror twins, and (b) when the search elements lack the Gestalt property of intrinsic orientation. The finding is put into the context of Feature Integration Theory (Treisman & Gelade, 1980) that first identified the occasions of serial search to be important to object perception and understanding.
Gilden
David L
DL
Department of Psychology.
Thornton
Thomas L
TL
Department of Psychology.
Marusich
Laura R
LR
Department of Psychology.
D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention; D004193:Discrimination Learning; D006801:Humans; D009949:Orientation; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual; D010466:Perceptual Closure; D011601:Psychophysics; D011930:Reaction Time; D012691:Serial Learning; D055815:Young Adult