Spatial suppression due to statistical regularities is driven by distractor suppression not by target activation

Failing, Michel; Wang, Benchi; Theeuwes, Jan · 2019 · OpenAlex-citations

DOI: 10.3758/s13414-019-01704-9

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Summary

This study investigates the mechanism underlying spatial suppression of attention caused by statistical regularities in visual search. Previous research indicated that when a distractor frequently appears in a specific location, attentional capture by that distractor is reduced, and target selection at that location is impaired. However, it remained unclear whether this effect results from the active suppression of the high-probability distractor location or the facilitated activation of the low-probability locations (where the target is more likely to appear). The authors aimed to disentangle these two possibilities by independently manipulating target and distractor probabilities. The researchers conducted two experiments using an additional singleton task, where participants searched for a shape singleton target while ignoring a color singleton distractor. In Experiment 1, the target probability was biased such that it rarely appeared in one specific location, while the distractor appeared with equal probability in all locations. This design tested if biasing target probability alone could induce spatial suppression. In Experiment 2, the distractor probability was biased toward one location (appearing there 65% of the time in distractor-present trials), while the target appeared with equal probability in all locations. This design tested if biasing distractor probability alone is sufficient to cause suppression, independent of target regularities. The results from Experiment 1 showed no evidence of spatial suppression regarding distractor capture; attentional interference was equal regardless of distractor location. However, target selection was significantly slower when the target appeared in the low-probability location, indicating that participants learned target probabilities but this did not affect distractor processing. In contrast, Experiment 2 replicated the suppression effect: attentional capture by the distractor was significantly reduced when it appeared in the high-probability location compared to low-probability locations. Furthermore, target selection was impaired at the high-probability distractor location. These findings held even though target probabilities were uniform across all locations. The authors conclude that spatial suppression due to statistical regularities is driven by the suppression of the high-probability distractor location, not by the facilitation of other locations. The recurrent presentation of a distractor in a specific location leads to attentional suppression of that location through a mechanism independent of target position regularities. This clarifies the nature of selection history effects, demonstrating that the visual system actively suppresses locations associated with frequent distractors to reduce capture, rather than merely enhancing locations where targets are likely to appear.

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• visual search