Grouped Locations and Object-Based Attention: Comment on Egly, Driver, and Rafal (1994)

Abstract

Recently, R. Egly, J. Driver, and R.D. Rafal (1994) provided evidence for an object-based component of visual orienting in a simple cued reaction time task. However, the effects of objects on visual attention can be due to selection from either of two very different types of representations: (a) a truly object-based representation that codes for object structure or (b) a grouped array representation that codes for groups of spatial locations. Are Egly et al.'s results due to selection from an object-based representation or from a grouped array representation? This question was addressed by using a variant of Egly et al.'s task. The findings replicated those of Egly et al. and demonstrated that the selection in this task is mediated through a grouped array representation. The implications of these results for studies of attentional selection are discussed.