Visual search for singleton feature targets within and across feature dimensions

Müller, Hermann J.; Heller, Dieter; Ziegler, Johannes C. · 1995 · OpenAlex-citations

DOI: 10.3758/bf03211845

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Summary

This paper investigates the mechanisms of visual search for singleton feature targets, specifically addressing how detection occurs when the critical dimension distinguishing the target from distractors is either known or unknown. The research is motivated by a discrepancy in existing models, such as Treisman’s Feature Integration Theory (FIT) and Wolfe’s Guided Search (GS), regarding how "pop-out" effects function when target identity is unpredictable. Previous work by Treisman (1988) indicated that while search reaction times (RTs) remained flat (parallel) for both within-dimension and cross-dimension unknown targets, a significant intercept cost existed for the cross-dimension condition. The authors sought to determine whether this cost arises from the need to identify the specific dimension of difference or if it persists even when such identification is unnecessary. The study comprises three experiments using reaction time analysis. Experiment 1 tested whether the cross-dimension cost would disappear if participants only needed to make a heterogeneity/homogeneity decision (detecting any difference) rather than identifying the specific target. Participants searched for targets that differed from nontargets either within a single dimension (e.g., orientation) or across multiple dimensions (e.g., size, color, or orientation). Experiment 2 examined whether pop-out provides information about the specific feature value by requiring subjects to ignore noncritical differences. Experiment 3 investigated the extent of top-down control over search priorities when advance knowledge of likely difference sources was provided. The results demonstrated that search RT functions were flat in all conditions, confirming parallel processing. However, the cross-dimension intercept cost persisted in Experiment 1, remaining approximately 55–60 msec higher than in the control and within-dimension conditions, even when participants did not need to identify the specific dimension of the difference. This finding suggests that pop-out requires knowledge of the particular dimension in which the target differs, and that this knowledge is acquired through the serial elimination of dimensions not containing the target. Furthermore, Experiment 2 indicated that pop-out does not inherently provide information about the specific feature value of the target. Experiment 3 revealed that subjects possess a high degree of top-down control, allowing them to bias search priorities toward specific dimensions based on advance knowledge. These findings challenge assumptions in FIT and GS models that an overall master map of activations could support pop-out for unknown targets without dimension-specific checking. The persistence of the cross-dimension cost implies that dimension-specific saliency maps must be checked serially, even if the final response does not require identifying the dimension. The study concludes that visual search for unknown singletons involves a parallel process within dimensions but a serial process across dimensions, highlighting the necessity of dimension-specific processing stages and the significant role of top-down control in optimizing search efficiency.

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Topics

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• visual search
• inattentional change blindness