TY - JOUR
T1 - The psychophysics of visual search
AU - Palmer, John
AU - Verghese, Preeti
AU - Pavel, Misha
N1 - Funding Information:
Some of this article was first presented in Pavel (1990) and Pavel et al. (1992). We thank Jennifer McLean for helping with many of the ideas in this article, particularly in her close reading of Appendix A and her work on generalizing the distributional assumptions. We also thank Davida Teller for many useful discussions and suggestions. In addition, we thank Beth Davis, Barbara Dosher, Miguel Eckstein, Bill Geisler, Eileen Kowler, Zhong-Lin Lu, Michael Morgan, Hal Pashler, George Sperling, Jim Townsend and Greg Zelinsky for criticisms and comments on earlier versions of the manuscript. This work was supported in part by NASA-Ames grant NAG 2-1202 and RTOP 199-16-12-37 to PV.
PY - 2000/6
Y1 - 2000/6
N2 - Most theories of visual search emphasize issues of limited versus unlimited capacity and serial versus parallel processing. In the present article, we suggest a broader framework based on two principles, one empirical and one theoretical. The empirical principle is to focus on conditions at the intersection of visual search and the simple detection and discrimination paradigms of spatial vision. Such simple search conditions avoid artifacts and phenomena specific to more complex stimuli and tasks. The theoretical principle is to focus on the distinction between high and low threshold theory. While high threshold theory is largely discredited for simple detection and discrimination, it persists in the search literature. Furthermore, a low threshold theory such as signal detection theory can account for some of the phenomena attributed to limited capacity or serial processing. In the body of this article, we compare the predictions of high threshold theory and three versions of signal detection theory to the observed effects of manipulating set size, discriminability, number of targets, response bias, external noise, and distractor heterogeneity. For almost all cases, the results are inconsistent with high threshold theory and are consistent with all three versions of signal detection theory. In the Discussion, these simple theories are generalized to a larger domain that includes search asymmetry, multidimensional judgements including conjunction search, response time, search with multiple eye fixations and more general stimulus conditions. We conclude that low threshold theories can account for simple visual search without invoking mechanisms such as limited capacity or serial processing. Copyright (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd.
AB - Most theories of visual search emphasize issues of limited versus unlimited capacity and serial versus parallel processing. In the present article, we suggest a broader framework based on two principles, one empirical and one theoretical. The empirical principle is to focus on conditions at the intersection of visual search and the simple detection and discrimination paradigms of spatial vision. Such simple search conditions avoid artifacts and phenomena specific to more complex stimuli and tasks. The theoretical principle is to focus on the distinction between high and low threshold theory. While high threshold theory is largely discredited for simple detection and discrimination, it persists in the search literature. Furthermore, a low threshold theory such as signal detection theory can account for some of the phenomena attributed to limited capacity or serial processing. In the body of this article, we compare the predictions of high threshold theory and three versions of signal detection theory to the observed effects of manipulating set size, discriminability, number of targets, response bias, external noise, and distractor heterogeneity. For almost all cases, the results are inconsistent with high threshold theory and are consistent with all three versions of signal detection theory. In the Discussion, these simple theories are generalized to a larger domain that includes search asymmetry, multidimensional judgements including conjunction search, response time, search with multiple eye fixations and more general stimulus conditions. We conclude that low threshold theories can account for simple visual search without invoking mechanisms such as limited capacity or serial processing. Copyright (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd.
KW - Attention
KW - Conspicuity
KW - Psychophysics
KW - Search
KW - Signal detection theory
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U2 - 10.1016/S0042-6989(99)00244-8
DO - 10.1016/S0042-6989(99)00244-8
M3 - Article
C2 - 10788638
AN - SCOPUS:0034000090
SN - 0042-6989
VL - 40
SP - 1227
EP - 1268
JO - Vision Research
JF - Vision Research
IS - 10-12
ER -