Influence of attentional capture on oculomotor control

Abstract

Previous research has shown that when searching for a color singleton, top-down control cannot prevent attentional capture by an abrupt visual onset. The present research addressed whether a task-irrelevant abrupt onset would affect eye movement behavior when searching for a color singleton. Results show that in many instances the eye moved in the direction of the task-irrelevant abrupt onset. There was evidence that top-down control could neither entirely prevent attentional capture by visual onsets nor prevent the eye from starting to move in the direction of the onset. Results suggest parallel programming of 2 saccades: 1 voluntary goal-directed eye movement toward the color singleton target and 1 stimulus-driven eye movement reflexively elicited by the abrupt onset. A neurophysiologically plausible model that can account for the current findings is discussed.

A theory of eye movements during target acquisition.

“…This pattern might be interpreted as a ‘confident’ search. In its extreme, EMT could grow to the upper bound, d , causing gaze to shift directly to the hotspot pattern, a behavior consistent with the oculomotor capture of a pop-out target (e.g., Theeuwes, Kramer, Hahn, Irwin, & Zelinsky, 1999). 7…”

Fitts’s Law and speed/accuracy trade-offs during sequences of saccades: Implications for strategies of saccadic planning

“…Preparation of the primary saccade could begin at least as early as when the preceding primary saccade arrived at or near the target. This would mean there would be overlap in the planning and execution of a secondary saccade to target N with the planning of the primary saccade to target N+1 (McPeek et al, 2000; Viviani & Swensson, 1982; Araujo et al, 2001; Becker & Jurgens, 1979; Caspi, Beutter & Eckstein , 2004; Theeuwes, Kramer, Hahn, Irwin & Zelinsky, 1999). This suggestion that overlap in the planning of saccades contributed to scanning of the saccadic sequences is supported by two pieces of evidence.…”

Behavioral components of impulsivity predict alcohol consumption in adults with ADHD and healthy controls

“…While participants attended to the fixation point, a bright target stimulus was briefly presented in the periphery. The onset of the stimulus in this context normally causes a saccade to be reflexively executed toward the stimulus (Peterson et al, 2004; Theeuwes et al, 1999). However, in the DOR task, subjects are instructed to “delay” looking at this stimulus (i.e., to intentionally inhibit the reflective saccade), and instead maintain their gaze on the fixation point until it disappears.…”