Objects on a collision path with the observer demand attention

Psychological Science
Jeffrey Y LinJames T Enns

Abstract

How observers distribute limited processing resources to regions of a scene is based on a dynamic balance between current goals and reflexive tendencies. Past research showed that these reflexive tendencies include orienting toward objects that expand as if they were looming toward the observer, presumably because this signal indicates an impending collision. Here we report that during visual search, items that loom abruptly capture attention more strongly when they approach from the periphery rather than from near the center of gaze (Experiment 1), and target objects are more likely to be attended when they are on a collision path with the observer rather than on a near-miss path (Experiment 2). Both effects are exaggerated when search is performed in a large projection dome (Experiment 3). These findings suggest that the human visual system prioritizes events that are likely to require a behaviorally urgent response.

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Citations

Mar 27, 2013·Journal of Personality and Social Psychology·Tianwei LiuMichael D Robinson
May 15, 2009·The Journal of Neuroscience : the Official Journal of the Society for Neuroscience·Jelena Jovancevic-Misic, Mary Hayhoe
Jun 21, 2012·Psychonomic Bulletin & Review·Hirokazu Doi, Kazuyuki Shinohara
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Aug 8, 2008·Trends in Cognitive Sciences·James T Enns, Alejandro Lleras
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Oct 26, 2013·Current Biology : CB·Thomas A Münch
Jun 16, 2009·Current Biology : CB·Jeffrey Y LinGeoffrey M Boynton
Oct 1, 2014·Experimental Brain Research·Robin BaurèsJoe Causer
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Sep 26, 2016·Cognition·Gernot Horstmann, Ulrich Ansorge
Oct 30, 2016·Frontiers in Human Neuroscience·Francesca Ferri, Marcello Costantini
Nov 9, 2017·Attention, Perception & Psychophysics·Eric Ruthruff, Nicholas Gaspelin
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Sep 4, 2014·Medical Science Monitor : International Medical Journal of Experimental and Clinical Research·Lucia Maria VainaSimon K Rushton
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Oct 19, 2020·Journal of Neuroscience Research·Robin BaurèsFranck-Emmanuel Roux
Feb 8, 2021·Psychophysiology·Uxía Fernández-FolgueirasLuis Carretié

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