title: The role of lightness, hue and saturation in feature-based visual attention.
abstract: Visual attention is used to select part of the visual array for higher-level processing. Visual selection can be based on spatial location, but it has also been demonstrated that multiple locations can be selected simultaneously on the basis of a visual feature such as color. One task that has been used to demonstrate feature-based attention is the judgement of the symmetry of simple four-color displays. In a typical task, when symmetry is violated, four squares on either side of the display do not match. When four colors are involved, symmetry judgements are made more quickly than when only two of the four colors are involved. This indicates that symmetry judgements are made one color at a time. Previous studies have confounded lightness, hue, and saturation when defining the colors used in such displays. In three experiments, symmetry was defined by lightness alone, lightness plus hue, or by hue or saturation alone, with lightness levels randomised. The difference between judgements of two- and four-color asymmetry was maintained, showing that hue and saturation can provide the sole basis for feature-based attentional selection.
authors.affiliation: School of Psychological Science, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia; Defence Science and Technology Organisation, 506 Lorimer Street, Fishermans Bend, VIC 3207, Australia. Electronic address: g.stuart@latrobe.edu.au.
authors.forename: Geoffrey W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Stuart
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology and Psychiatry, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, VIC 3168, Australia.
authors.forename: Wendy N
authors.initials: WN
authors.lastname: Barsdell
authors.affiliation: School of Psychological Science, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3086, Australia.
authors.forename: Ross H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Day
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D003118:Color Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual / Q000502:physiology*; D010775:Photic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D011930:Reaction Time; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Feature maps; Feature-based attention; Symmetry perception