Abstract
Better detection of changes in spatial position is achieved within random dot patterns consisting of a small number of dots rather than a large number of dots. Why? The result might be related directly to the number of display elements which must be monitored and thereby linked to the sharing of attention across display elements. The result, previously obtained for displays of constant area, might be related to the density of display elements and thereby linked to proximity relations within spatial patterns. Or the result may be due to the local separation of neighboring dots when inquiring about the state of a specific dot. The present study attempts to unconfound these factors. It is shown that performance is related to the number of dots that must be motored, irrespective of dot density; that dot density 18 effective primarily 10 the inquiry of the state of specific elements; and then principally as It relates to the separation of the queried element from its neighbors.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
References
ERIKSEN, C. W., & ROHRBAUGH, J. W. Some factors determining efficiency of selective attention. American Journal of Psychology, 1970, 33, 330–342.
POLLACK, I. Detection of changes in spatial position: Short-term visual memory or motion perception? Perception & Psychophysics, 1972, 11, 17–27.
RUMELHART, D. A multicomponent theory of the perception of briefly exposed visual displays. Journal of Mathematical Psychology, 1970, 7, 191–218.
SEKULER, R. W., & ABRAMS, M. Visual sameness: A choice time analysis of pattern recognition processes. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 1968, 77, 232–238.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
This research was supported in part by Grant GB 14036X of the National Science Foundation. The author is indebted to Nancy Mandell. who supervised the experimental tests; to Don Mayer, who developed the PDP-8 programs based upon programs originally developed by Lon Radin; and to Robert Shea, who processed the experimental results.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Pollack, I. Detection of changes in spatial position: III. Dot number or dot density?. Perception & Psychophysics 12, 487–491 (1972). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03210941
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03210941