Selective Visual Attention: Selective Cuing, Selective Cognitive Processing, and Selective Response Processing

Abstract

Reports on a series of attention experiments published elsewhere. With a semi-circle of locations, compares attention to a single location versus all four within a half-field. Subjects responded to conjunctions of the bar color (red or blue) and location. Comparing opposite half-field versus same half-field versus one location. Found that P1, N1, N2 responded to the entire half-field. An occipital negativity/anterior positivity was observed to the proper color for the same half-field as well but the N2b was only to the color if in the correct or neighboring location. The P3b was evoked only by the target conjunction. Summarizes some findings that attention to color, but not diagonal of appearance or letter size, produce the occipital selection negativity. Discusses another study where finds effects of channel relevancy (color selection negativity), memory search ( Cz negativity), target detection (P3b), and rotation (descending edge of P300, parietal negativity) suggest sequential order. Also summarizes study using LRP and EMG measures. Concludes that cognitive processes like the search and rotation negativities are selective in that they only occur if in an attended channel whereas response processing is not always.