Unique object characteristics differentially affect visual attention during viewing of dynamic stimuli: The influence of location and luminosity

Abstract

Understanding which characteristics of dynamic stimuli affect visual attention is crucial to usability research. We explored how object location and object luminosity differentially affect visual attention. Thirty-seven American participants viewed 34 Australian commercials, which were broken down by scene (N = 606) to identify all pertinent Areas of Interest (NAOIs = 2,695). Each AOI was subsequently coded for location and median luminosity. Luminosity was positively associated with attention capture (β = .12, p < .001), but negatively associated with sustaining attention (β = -.06, p < .000). Higher (β = .04, p < .000) or lower contrast with the immediate background (β = .03, p < .000) led to longer fixations, and central location drew visual attention (β = .49, p < .001) and sustained it (β = .19, p < .001) more than other locations. Our results show that object location and luminosity affect visual attention during dynamic stimuli, and likely influence subsequent cognitive or behavioral interaction with those objects.