Focused spatial attention is independent of rapid resumption of an interrupted search

Abstract

In three experiments, we examined possible relationships between the spatial focus of attention and the rapid resumption of a visual search following a brief interruption. In Experiment 1, we tested the role of involuntary (exogenous) spatial orienting to one region (quadrant) of a search display; in Experiment 2, we tested the role of voluntary (endogenous) spatial orienting to the same region; and in Experiment 3, we tested the role of voluntary orienting to the specific location in which the target item appeared. All three experiments indicated that spatial orienting speeds correct responding and greatly increases the probability of search success in the look immediately following the presentation of a spatial cue. However, these benefits of spatial cues were also shown to be completely independent of the rapid resumption effect, which depends on observers' forming a perceptual hypothesis about a target in one look, but being unable to confirm that hypothesis until a second one (Lleras, Rensink, & Enns, 2005). © 2009 The Psychonomic Society, Inc.