dissertationUsing eye-tracking technology to capture the visual scanpaths of a sample of laypersons (N = 92), the current study employed a 2 (training condition: ABCDE vs. Ugly Duckling Sign) Ã- 2 (visual condition: photorealistic images vs. illustrations) factorial design to assess whether SSE training succeeds or fails in facilitating increases in sensitivity and specificity. Self-efficacy and perceived importance were tested as moderators, and eye-tracking fixation metrics as mediators, within the framework of Visual Skill Acquisition Theory (VSAT). For sensitivity, results indicated a significant main effect for visual condition, F(1,88) = 7.102, p = .009, wherein illustrations (M = .524, SD = .197) resulted in greater sensitivity than photos (M = .425, SD = .159, d = .55). For specificity, the main effect for training was not significant, F(1,88) = 2.120, p = .149; however, results indicated a significant main effect for visual condition, F(1,88) = 4.079, p = .046, wherein photos (M = .821, SD = .108) resulted in greater specificity than illustrations (M = .770, SD = .137, d = .41). The interaction for training Ã- visual condition, F(1,88) = 3.554, p = .063, was significant within a 90% confidence interval, such that those within the UDS Photo condition displayed greater specificity than all other combinations of training and visual condition. No significant moderated mediation manifested for sensitivity, but for specificity, the model was significant, r = .59, R2 = .34, F(9,82) = 4.7783, p =.001, with Percent of Time in Lookzone serving as a significant mediator, and both self-efficacy and visual condition significantly moderating the mediation. For those in the photo condition with very high self-efficacy, UDS increased specificity directly. For those in the photo condition with self-efficacy levels at the mean or lower, there was a conditional indirect effect through Percent of Time in Lookzoneâ€"which is to say that these individuals spent a larger amount of their viewing time on target (observing the atypical nevi)â€"and time on target is positively related to specificity. Findings suggest that existing SSE training techniques may be enhanced by maximizing visual processing efficiency
