Evidence that within-dimension features are generally processed coactively

In this paper, we examine whether information about an item’s category, provided by the same dimension type presented across multiple spatial locations (which we term within-dimension features), is processed independently or pooled into a common representation. We use Systems Factorial Technology (S...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Attention, perception & psychophysics perception & psychophysics, 2020, Vol.82 (1), p.193-227
Main Authors: Blunden, Anthea G., Howe, Piers D. L., Little, Daniel R.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
40 Years of Feature Integration: Special Issue in Memory of Anne Treisman
Architecture
Attention
Bananas
Behavioral Science and Psychology
Cognitive Psychology
Decision making
Information Processing
Psychology
Quantitative psychology
Reaction Time
Resistance (Psychology)
Stimuli
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Summary:In this paper, we examine whether information about an item’s category, provided by the same dimension type presented across multiple spatial locations (which we term within-dimension features), is processed independently or pooled into a common representation. We use Systems Factorial Technology (SFT; Townsend & Nozawa, Journal of Mathematical Psychology, 39 , 321–340, 1995 ) and fit parametric logical rule-based models to diagnose whether information processing is serial, parallel, or coactive. The present work focuses on expanding the scope of categorization response time (RT) models by synthesizing recent work in perceptual categorization with theories of visual attention. Our results show that for the majority of participants, processing occurs coactively (i.e., is pooled into a single decision process). For the remainder, other processing strategies were found (e.g., parallel processing). This finding provides new insight into decision-making using within-dimension features presented in multiple locations. It also highlights the importance of both featural information and spatial attention in categorization decision-making.
ISSN:1943-3921
1943-393X
DOI:10.3758/s13414-019-01775-8