Article ID Journal Published Year Pages File Type
6203724 Vision Research 2012 11 Pages PDF
Abstract

Do the target-distractor and distractor-distractor similarity relationships known to exist for simple stimuli extend to real-world objects, and are these effects expressed in search guidance or target verification? Parts of photorealistic distractors were replaced with target parts to create four levels of target-distractor similarity under heterogenous and homogenous conditions. We found that increasing target-distractor similarity and decreasing distractor-distractor similarity impaired search guidance and target verification, but that target-distractor similarity and heterogeneity/homogeneity interacted only in measures of guidance; distractor homogeneity lessens effects of target-distractor similarity by causing gaze to fixate the target sooner, not by speeding target detection following its fixation.

► Search is very difficult when distractors share even one part with the target. ► Target-distractor similarity affects the first object fixated during search. ► Distractor-distractor similarity does not. ► Target-distractor and distractor-distractor similarity interact to guide search. ► Target verification times showed no such interaction.

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Life Sciences Neuroscience Sensory Systems
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