Word cues affect detection but not localization responses.

Many theories assume that pre-knowledge of an upcoming target helps visual selection. In those theories, a top-down set can alter the salience of the target, such that attention can be deployed to the target more efficiently and responses are faster. Evidence for this account stems from visual search studies in which the identity of the upcoming target is cued in advance.

Response selection modulates visual search within and across dimensions.

In feature search tasks, uncertainty about the dimension on which targets differ from the nontargets hampers search performance relative to a situation in which this dimension is known in advance. Typically, these cross-dimensional costs are associated with less efficient guidance of attention to the target. In the present study, participants either had to perform a feature search task or had to perform a nonsearch task, that is, respond to a target presented without nontargets.

Response selection in visual search: the influence of response compatibility of nontargets.

The authors used visual search tasks in which components of the classic flanker task (B. A. Eriksen & C.

Attentional capture within and between objects.

The present study addressed the question whether attentional capture by abrupt onsets is affected by object-like properties of the stimulus field. Observers searched for a target circle at one of four ends of two solid rectangles. In the focused attention condition the location of the upcoming target was cued by means of a central arrowhead, whereas in the divided attention condition, the target location was not cued.