Redundant Signals in the Triple Conjunction Effect

The triple conjunction effect (TCE) is characterized by faster response times (RT) when a target is defined by three features than when it is defined by three features. Similarly, the redundant signals effect (RSE) is characterized by faster RTs when a display contains multiple features that are each sufficient to define a target. When a single display element contains multiple target features in separate feature dimensions, the RSE may be attributable to feature coactivation, in which information from multiple features combines to reach a response threshold. Because triple conjunctions contain an extra distinguishing feature, they are comparable to the RSE, and feature coactivation may therefore be expected. In the current study, participants searched for the presence of a target letter in 4 blocks of conjunction search trials (2 of color and orientation, and 2 of form and orientation) and 2 blocks of triple conjunction search trials (color, form, and orientation). Each trial contained 4 or 8 letters subtending 2° by 2° on an invisible circle 8° from the center of the display. Trials were terminated if participants moved their eyes more than 2.75° from the center or did not respond within 4 seconds. A similar second experiment was conducted with distractor homogeneity equated across conjunction and triple conjunction searches. Results indicated that the TCE occurred in both experiments; RTs were ~206 ms faster in triple conjunction than conjunction search. The Townsend Bound, a theoretical minimum for triple conjunction RT under the assumption that no coactivation occurred, was violated at several quantiles (5-16 of 18 quantiles, depending on experiment, set size, and target) when RT was averaged across participants. Additionally, most participants individually violated the Townsend Bound in at least some conditions, providing further evidence for coactivation. The results suggest that the TCE is at least partially due to coactivation of target-relevant features

Does the Redundant Signals Effect Occur with Categorical Signals?

The redundant signals effect (RSE) refers to a decrease in response time (RT) when multiple signals are present compared to when one signal is present. The RSE is widespread when responses are made to specific signals; for example, a participant who is asked to respond to the letter “N” will respond more quickly to two “Ns” than to one “N.” The current research was conducted to determine whether or not the RSE generalizes to categorical signals. In Experiment 1, participants pressed a button when they saw any number on a computer screen. Each trial contained two stimuli subtending 1º visual angle and placed 3º above and below the center of the screen. Both stimuli were letters on 50% of trials (no-signal condition), one stimulus was a number on 25% of trials (single-signal condition), and both stimuli were numbers on 25% of trials (redundant-signal condition). RT was faster in the redundant-signal condition (461 ms) than in the single-signal condition (509 ms, p \u3c .001), indicating that the RSE occurred. However, Experiment 1 contained noise (a letter) in the single-signal condition; when the noise letter was removed in Experiment 2, the RSE was nonsignificant (redundant-signal RT = 446, single-signal RT = 458 ms, p = .167). Nevertheless, the trend in Experiment 2 was towards a RSE, and the fast RTs may indicate a ceiling effect. For now, the evidence in favor of a categorical RSE is mixed; further research is expected to provide clarity on the issue

Redundancy Gain For Categorical Targets Depends On Display Configuration And Duration

Redundancy gain is an improvement in speeded target detection when the number of targets associated with a single response is increased within a single display. The effect has been clearly demonstrated with specific targets, but it is not clear if it occurs in categorization tasks with non-identical targets. The current study tested the effect of target redundancy on speed and accuracy in a go/no-go categorization task. Targets were digits tilted 45° to the left, and were displayed in unilateral, bilateral, or central displays for either 1500 ms or 100 ms. Redundancy gain only occurred for brief targets displayed bilaterally in the upper visual field. The results indicate that redundancy gain is possible for categorization tasks with some bilateral configurations, supporting a role for interhemispheric processing in redundancy gain. Additionally, the results may indicate that processing strategies mask redundancy gain when participants can view targets for a long period of time

Improving Wayfinding For Older Users With Selective Attention Deficits

Older adults experience difficulties with navigating their environments and may need to rely on signs more heavily than younger adults. However, older adults also experience difficulties with focusing their visual attention, which suggests that signs need to be designed with the goal of making it as easy as possible to attend to them. This article discusses some design principles that may be especially important to compensate for declining attentional focus. These principles include distinctiveness, consistent appearance and location, standardized images, simplicity, isolation from other elements of the environment, and reassurance about the current route

Absence Of Distracting Information Explains The Redundant Signals Effect For A Centrally Presented Categorization Task

The redundant signals effect, a speed-up in response times with multiple targets compared to a single target in one display, is well-documented, with some evidence suggesting that it can occur even in conceptual processing when targets are presented bilaterally. The current study was designed to determine whether or not category-based redundant signals can speed up processing even without bilateral presentation. Toward that end, participants performed a go/no-go visual task in which they responded only to members of the target category (i.e., they responded only to numbers and did not respond to letters). Numbers and letters were presented along an imaginary vertical line in the center of the visual field. When the single signal trials contained a nontarget letter (Experiment 1), there was a significant redundant signals effect. The effect was not significant when the single-signal trials did not contain a nontarget letter (Experiments 2 and 3). The results indicate that, when targets are defined categorically and not presented bilaterally, the redundant signals effect may be an effect of reducing the presence of information that draws attention away from the target. This suggests that redundant signals may not speed up conceptual processing when interhemispheric presentation is not available

You Can\u27T Catch \u27Em All: Inattention During Active Mobile Gaming

Using a mobile device while driving or walking leads to inattention. The popular augmented reality mobile game Pokémon GO (PGO) requires users to walk in order to play, creating a possible multitasking conflict as users interact with the game. This study required three groups to walk a predefined course while either playing PGO, texting with a confederate, or walking naturally. After the walk, participants were given a surprise memory test for what they saw while walking the course, also rating confidence in their responses. Accuracy was significantly lower only in the texting condition; however, both multitasking conditions had significantly lower confidence ratings for their responses as well as more safety infractions. Overall, while the PGO participants did not suffer the same attentional costs as the texting condition, their unsafe walking behavior and low confidence in their responses may still lead to dangerous situations

Population Size, Local Autonomy, and Support for the Political System

Does size of democracy shape citizens' support for the democratic regime? Previous literature demonstrates that a variety of political contexts are associated with the level of system support among citizens, yet none has tested the effect of a fundamental contextual feature of contemporary societies-size of democracy-on system support from a cross-national perspective. Copyright (c) 2007 by the Southwestern Social Science Association.