Abstract
Ten subjects served in a speeded-recognition task wherein letter targets were varied from.143 deg to 2.14 deg of visual angle in height. Identification latencies were found to decrease on the order of 40 msec for both blocked and randomized presentations of sizes as target size increased. Beyond a size of approximately.75 deg of visual angle, reaction time became asymptotic, and blocked presentation of target size was judged to be faster than randomized. These results were interpreted to support the view that a percept in the visual system develops gradually over time, permitting gross figure-ground differentiation very early in processing, but discrimination of fine detail only later. Implications of these results for human-factors applications are discussed.
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Posner M. I., Nissen M. J., & Ogden W. C. Attended and unattended processing modes: The role of set for spatial location. Paper presented at SSRC Conference on Perceptual Modes, Minneapolis, Minnesota, June 1975.
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The authors wish to acknowledge the assistance of Glenn Swimmer, who collected these data. This research was supported by Public Health Service Research Grant MH-1206 and by United States Public Health Service Research Career Program Award K6-MH-22014 to the second author.
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Schultz, D.W., Eriksen, C.W. Stimulus size and acuity in information processing. Bull. Psychon. Soc. 12, 397–399 (1978). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03329719
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03329719