Visual marking of old objects

Jan Theeuwes, Arthur F. Kramer, Paul Atchley

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Watson and Humphreys (1997) presented evidence that selection of new elements can be prioritized by on-line top-down attentional inhibition of old stimuli already in the visual field (visual marking). The experiments on which this evidence was based always presented old elements in green and new elements in blue. Because of this, instead of prioritizing new objects by inhibiting old objects, selection could have been based on color. The present experiment, which does not contain this confound, showed that visual marking is a strong and robust process that enables subjects to visually mark at least 15 old elements even when these elements have the same color as the new elements. The results indicate that preview of the elements is critical - not the fact that those elements contained a common feature.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)130-134
Number of pages5
JournalPsychonomic Bulletin and Review
Volume5
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 1998
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
  • Developmental and Educational Psychology

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