Abstract
Three experiments investigated visual search for singleton feature targets. The critical dimension on which the target differed from the nontargets was either known in advance or unknown—that is, the critical difference varied eitherwithin a dimension oracross dimensions. Previous work (Treisman, 1988) had shown that, while the search reaction time (RT) functions were flat in both conditions, there was an intercept cost for the cross-dimension condition. Experiment 1 examined whether this cost would disappear when responses could be based on the detection ofany (target—nontarget) difference in the display (by requiring a “heterogeneity/homogeneity” decision). The cost remained. This argues that pop-out requires (or involves) knowledge of the particular dimension in which an odd-one-out target differs from the nontargets; furthermore, that knowledge is acquired through the elimination of dimensions not containing a target. In Experiment 2, the subjects had to eliminate (or ignore) one potential source of difference in order to give a positive response (displays could contain a “noncritical” difference requiring a negative response). The result was a comparatively large cost in the within-dimension (positive) condition. This can be taken to indicate that popout as such does not make available information as to the particular feature value in which the target differs from the nontargets. Experiment 3 examined whether search priorities can be biased in accordance with advance knowledge of the likely source of difference. The subjects were found to have a high degree of top-down control over what particular dimension to assign priority of checking to. The implication of the results for models of visual search and selection are discussed.
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Authors and Affiliations
Department of Psychology, Birkbeck College (University of London), Malet Street, WC1E 7HX, London, UK
Hermann J. Müller
Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule, Aachen, Germany
Dieter Heller & Johannes Ziegler
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Correspondence toHermann J. Müller.
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This research was supported by Science and Engineering Research Council Grant GR/H/54966 to H. Müller. It benefitted from remarks made by A. M. Jacobs and D. Reiffenrath (1993).
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Müller, H.J., Heller, D. & Ziegler, J. Visual search for singleton feature targets within and across feature dimensions.Perception & Psychophysics57, 1–17 (1995). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03211845
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