title: Timing of speech and display affects the linguistic mediation of visual search.
abstract: Recent studies have shown that, instead, of a dichotomy between parallel and serial search strategies, in many instances we see a combination of both search strategies utilized. Consequently, computational models and theoretical accounts of visual search processing have evolved from traditional serial-parallel descriptions to a continuum from 'efficient' to 'inefficient' search. One of the findings, consistent with this blurring of the serial-parallel distinction, is that concurrent spoken linguistic input influences the efficiency of visual search. In our first experiment we replicate those findings using a between-subjects design. Next, we utilize a localist attractor network to simulate the results from the first experiment, and then employ the network to make quantitative predictions about the influence of subtle timing differences of real-time language processing on visual search. These model predictions are then tested and confirmed in our second experiment. The results provide further evidence toward understanding linguistically mediated influences on real-time visual search processing and support an interactive processing account of visual search and language comprehension.
authors.forename: Eric M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Chiu
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Spivey
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003118:Color Perception; D003198:Computer Simulation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008037:Linguistics; D008297:Male; D009949:Orientation; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual; D011601:Psychophysics; D011930:Reaction Time; D013067:Speech Perception; D013998:Time Perception; D055815:Young Adult