A theory of visual attention.

Abstract

A unified theory of visual recognition and attentional selection is developed by integrating the biased-choice model for single-stimulus recognition (Luce, 1963; Shepard, 1957) with a choice model for selection from multielement displays (Bundesen, Pedersen, & Larsen, 1984) in a race model framework. Mathematically, the theory is tractable, and it specifies the computations necessary for selection. The theory is applied to extant findings from a broad range of experimental paradigms. The findings include effects of object integrality in selective report, number and spatial position of targets in divided-attention paradigms, selection criterion and number of distracters in focused-attention paradigms, delay of selection cue in partial report, and consistent practice in search. On the whole, the quantitative fits are encouraging.

Journal

Title: Psychological Review

Abbreviated Title: Psychological Review

Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA)

ISSN (Electronic): 1939-1471

ISSN (Print): 0033-295X

Publication date Created: 1990

Publication date (Electronic): 1990

Volume: 97

Issue: 4

Pages: 523-547

Article

PubMed ID: 2247540

Copyright statement: © 1990

Product

Self URI (article page): http://doi.apa.org/getdoi.cfm?doi=10.1037/0033-295X.97.4.523