Which properties of a natural scene affect visual search? We consider the alternative hypotheses that low-level statistics, higher-level statistics, semantics, or layout affect search difficulty in natural scenes. Across three experiments (n = 20 each), we used four different backgrounds that preserve distinct scene properties: (a) natural scenes (all experiments); (b) 1/f noise (pink noise, which preserves only low-level statistics and was used in Experiments 1 and 2); (c) textures that preserve low-level and higher-level statistics but not semantics or layout (Experiments 2 and 3); and (d) inverted (upside-down) scenes that preserve statistics and semantics but not layout (Experiment 2). We included "split scenes" that contained different backgrounds left and right of the midline (Experiment 1, natural/noise; Experiment 3, natural/texture).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Post-traumatic seizures (PTSs) contribute to morbidity after traumatic brain injury (TBI). Early PTS are rare in combat casualties sustaining TBI, but the prevalence of late PTS is poorly described. We sought to define the prevalence and risk factors of late PTS in combat casualties with computed tomography evidence of TBI.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn addition to low-level stimulus characteristics and current goals, our previous experience with stimuli can also guide attentional deployment. It remains unclear, however, if such effects act independently or whether they interact in guiding attention. In the current study, we presented natural scenes including every-day objects that differed in affective-motivational impact.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCompetition is ubiquitous in perception. For example, items in the visual field compete for processing resources, and attention controls their priority (biased competition). The inevitable ambiguity in the interpretation of sensory signals yields another form of competition: distinct perceptual interpretations compete for access to awareness.
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