Attention improves perceptual quality

Abstract

Attention has been demonstrated to affect response speed, signal detection, and perceptual enhancement. We wished to determine whether exogenously cued attention had the additional effect of improving the veridicality of perceptual representations. We determined the accuracy and precision of orientation judgments for static and dynamic stimuli when they were, and when they were not, exogenously cued (luminance change). Valid exogenous cues led to more accurate responses that were also quicker. The attentional accuracy benefits were robust to stimulus degradation. Since our task displayed only one test stimulus at a time, response biases cannot account for our results. We concluded that exogenous cues can lead to percepts that are, on average, more similar to the external stimulus. Thus, exogenous cuing can improve perceptual quality. © 2012 Psychonomic Society, Inc.