The cost of categorization in visual search: Incomplete processing of targets and field items

Abstract

A partial processing hypothesis is proposed to account for performance under a visual search condition where target and field items belong to the different conceptual categories, letter and digit (between-category search), as compared to a condition in which they belong to the same category (within-category search). This hypothesized mechanism implies that less information is registered and/or retained in between- than in within-category search. This prediction was tested and confirmed in three experiments. The results indicate that both targets and field items are processed less deeply in between- than in within-category search. © 1976 Psychonomic Society, Inc.