The transference of visual scanning behaviour between two unrelated tasks : Measuring the characteristics of carry-over

Thompson, C; Howting, L; Hills, P

Abstract

Task performance is influenced by the allocation of visual attention, and models of scanning behaviour have attempted to predict search (and performance) by accounting for top-down and bottom-up processes. Although such models acknowledge an additional influence of previous experience with the same or similar task, recent work has shown that search can be affected by a preceding, unrelated task. An experiment was conducted to explore this ‘carry-over’ of scanning behaviour to examine whether time spent on the initial task influences the magnitude of the effect, and how quickly the effect dissipates across the course of the second task. Thirty participants completed simple letter searches and were then asked to search a picture of a natural scene. Eye movements were recorded to the picture search and, consistent with previous findings, the spatial layout of letters influenced spread of search in the pictures. The magnitude of the effect did not vary according to the time spent engaging in the initial task, however the effect diminished relatively quickly. The results have implications for dynamic tasks in which performance is closely related to search (i.e. driving), and imply that predictions of search behaviour could be improved by accounting for the influence of carry-over.

Citation

Thompson, C., Howting, L., & Hills, P. (2013, August). The transference of visual scanning behaviour between two unrelated tasks : Measuring the characteristics of carry-over. Presented at 18th Meeting of the European Society for Cognitive Psychology, Budapest, Hungary

• Presentation Conference Type: Other
• Conference Name: 18th Meeting of the European Society for Cognitive Psychology
• Conference Location: Budapest, Hungary
• Start Date: Aug 29, 2013
• End Date: Sep 1, 2013
• Deposit Date: Jul 7, 2015
• Related Public URLs: http://erc.europa.eu/18th-escop-conference-european-society-cognitive-psychology
• Additional Information: Event Type : Conference