Spatio-temporal dynamics of attentional selection stages during multiple object tracking

Merkel, Christian; Hopf, Jens‐Max; Schoenfeld, Mircea Ariel

doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2016.10.046

Cited by 13 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 55 publications

(73 reference statements)

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“…Likewise, other object-based processes like figure-ground segmentation (Kinsey et al, 2011) or the perception of illusory objects (Kaiser et al, 2004;Tallon-Baudry et al, 1997) have been described to induce enhanced gamma activity. We have previously suggested the maintenance of an abstract (illusory) object representation in the lateral occipital to be the key process involved in the objectbased tracking strategy (Merkel et al, 2015(Merkel et al, , 2017, and therefore, we would have expected gamma modulations related to object-based processes. The absence of gamma signal modulations during the tracking phase in the current results is a bit surprising and seemingly at odds with previous findings relating gamma modulations to object processing.…”

Section: Time-frequency Resultsmentioning

confidence: 96%

“…In a behavioural study, the conscious choice to attend all items as such one morphing object through space improved tracking ability (Yantis, 1992). In a later series of experiments, event-related electrophysiological as well as haemodynamic correlates provided converging evidence for an object-based mechanism employed to maintain multiple visual moving targets (Merkel et al, 2014(Merkel et al, , 2015(Merkel et al, , 2017. Interestingly, such a process, operating on an object-based representation derived from the configuration of all relevant targets, seems to exist in parallel with a more location-based process maintaining each individual target as described earlier (Merkel et al, 2014(Merkel et al, , 2015Wutz et al, 2020).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

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Electrophysiological hallmarks of location‐based and object‐based visual multiple objects tracking

Merkel

Hopf

Schoenfeld

2022

Eur J of Neuroscience

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Converging evidence shows that our visual system can track multiple visual, independently moving items over time. This is accomplished location-based by maintaining the individual spatial information of each target item or objectbased by constructing an abstract object-based representation out of the tracked items. Previous work showed specific behavioural, electrophysiological and haemodynamic markers for location-based or object-based representations of the relevant targets by probing the encoded information subsequently after tracking. However, domain-specific differences of representational correlates during visual tracking itself have not been reported yet. The current study aims to identify spectral properties of the electrophysiological signal during tracking that might indicate location-based versus object-based maintenance of visual information. Subjects had to covertly track four out of eight visually identical items for several seconds while electrophysiological signals were recorded. Subsequently, a probe consisting of four items appeared and the subjects had to indicate with a button press whether the probe matched all targets or not. Subjects employing an object-based strategy showed an enhanced gamma response during the presentation of the target items at the beginning of the trial. On the other hand, subjects using a location-based strategy showed enhanced gamma synchronization throughout the tracking itself. Both the object-and location-based gamma responses yielded identical spatial topographical field distributions. These results indicate that object-based tracking is supported by enhanced encoding during the initial presentation of the targets to be tracked. Location-based tracking is characterized by the sustained maintenance of the individual targets during the entire tracking period in that same processing network.

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Section: Time-frequency Resultsmentioning

confidence: 96%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Electrophysiological hallmarks of location‐based and object‐based visual multiple objects tracking

Merkel

Hopf

Schoenfeld

2022

Eur J of Neuroscience

Self Cite

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“…This pattern suggests that the observed effects were due to topdown strategies during single-task ensemble-averaging, which could not be applied under single-task individuation and dual-task conditions. The investigation of topdown grouping strategies during multiple-object processing has a long history in experimental and cognitive psychology (Wertheimer, 1912;Yantis, 1992;Merkel et al, 2014Merkel et al, , 2015Merkel, Hopf and Schoenfeld, 2017). The observed alpha-band bursting effects signal a potential implementation of top-down principles during dynamic multiple-object scenarios into neural function by grouping objects into ensemble representations.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A second core mechanism for MOT is to represent multiple objects as an ensemble or group (Yantis, 1992;Merkel et al, 2014Merkel et al, , 2015Merkel, Hopf and Schoenfeld, 2017). In contrast to focal attention to individual objects, recent reports have highlighted the ability for information integration and compression in the visual scene analysis by computing group-level ensemble statistics across multiple objects (for reviews see Alvarez, 2011;Whitney and Yamanashi Leib, 2018).…”

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confidence: 99%

Oscillatory Bursts in Parietal Cortex Reflect Dynamic Attention between Multiple Objects and Ensembles

2020

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The visual system uses two complimentary strategies to process multiple objects simultaneously within a scene and update their spatial positions in real time. It either uses selective attention to individuate a complex, dynamic scene into a few focal objects (i.e., object individuation), or it represents multiple objects as an ensemble by distributing attention more globally across the scene (i.e., ensemble grouping). Neural oscillations may be a key signature for focal object individuation versus distributed ensemble grouping, because they are thought to regulate neural excitability over visual areas through inhibitory control mechanisms. We recorded whole-head MEG data during a multiple-object tracking paradigm, in which human participants (13 female, 11 male) switched between different instructions for object individuation and ensemble grouping on different trials. The stimuli, responses, and the demand to keep track of multiple spatial locations over time were held constant between the two conditions. We observed increased α-band power (9-13 Hz) packed into oscillatory bursts in bilateral inferior parietal cortex during multiple-object processing. Single-trial analysis revealed greater burst occurrences on object individuation versus ensemble grouping trials. By contrast, we found no differences using standard analyses on across-trials averaged α-band power. Moreover, the bursting effects occurred only below/at, but not above, the typical capacity limits for multiple-object processing (at ∼4 objects). Our findings reveal the real-time neural correlates underlying the dynamic processing of multiple-object scenarios, which are modulated by grouping strategies and capacity. They support a rhythmic, α-pulsed organization of dynamic attention to multiple objects and ensembles. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Dynamic multiple-object scenarios are an important problem in real-world and computer vision. They require keeping track of multiple objects as they move through space and time. Such problems can be solved in two ways: One can individuate a scene object by object, or alternatively group objects into ensembles. We observed greater occurrences of α-oscillatory burst events in parietal cortex for processing objects versus ensembles and below/at versus above processing capacity. These results demonstrate a unique top-down mechanism by which the brain dynamically adjusts its computational level between objects and ensembles. They help to explain how the brain copes with its capacity limitations in real-time environments and may lead the way to technological innovations for time-critical video analysis in computer vision.

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“…Their superior performance led to the claim that "professional athletes as a group have extraordinary skills for rapidly learning unpredictable, complex dynamic visual scenes that are void of any specific context" (Faubert, 2013, p. 3). However, the only learning that may influence performance in the MOT task is a procedural learning of the dynamic allocation of spatial attention (Alvarez, & Franconeri, 2007;Merkel, Hopf, & Schoenfeld, 2017) because the dot movements in the MOT-task are randomly generated, so there is no predictive information either within a trial or across different trials ("dynamic scenes") that could be learned and used for memoryguided search. However, even though, to our knowledge, there is no empirical evidence for enhanced memory-guided attentional selection in team sport athletes, this is nevertheless an interesting question.…”

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confidence: 99%

Not scene learning, but attentional processing is superior in team sport athletes and action video game players

Schmidt

Geringswald

Sharifian

et al. 2018

Psychological Research

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We tested if high-level athletes or action video game players have superior context learning skills. Incidental context learning was tested in a spatial contextual cueing paradigm. We found comparable contextual cueing of visual search in repeated displays in high-level amateur handball players, dedicated action video game players and normal controls. In contrast, both handball players and action video game players showed faster search than controls, measured as search time per display item, independent of display repetition. Thus, our data do not indicate superior context learning skills in athletes or action video game players. Rather, both groups showed more efficient visual search in abstract displays that were not related to sport-specific situations.

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Spatio-temporal dynamics of attentional selection stages during multiple object tracking

Cited by 13 publications

References 55 publications

Electrophysiological hallmarks of location‐based and object‐based visual multiple objects tracking

Electrophysiological hallmarks of location‐based and object‐based visual multiple objects tracking

Oscillatory Bursts in Parietal Cortex Reflect Dynamic Attention between Multiple Objects and Ensembles

Not scene learning, but attentional processing is superior in team sport athletes and action video game players

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