| Attention: Neisser 1964 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Script Name | neisser.zip | ||
| Stimulus Materials | |||
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Sample Data Files |
neisserData.zip | ||
| Citation | Neisser, U. (1964). Visual search. Scientific American 210(6), 94-102. (pdf) | ||
| Summary of Experiment | This experiment
compares times to find a "Z" in a column of round letters (O,
S, Q) vs. a column of angular letters (K, E, L). It predicts that finding
an angular letter in a field of round letters would be easier because the
distractors have fewer features in common with the target.
The article on which this experiment is based is fairly long and deals with the general concept of visual search (finding a face in a crowd, or a name in a telephone book). The particular part replicated here deals with context effects and effects of position in visual search. It involves a display that is 24 lines long, with 6 letters in each line. The target is the letter "Z". The two factors of interest are whether the letters other than the target resemble it, and where the target is in the display (line 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, or 24). The experiment hopes to show that reaction time varies directly with the position of the item in the display and that finding the target is twice as fast if it does not resemble the distractor letters. Sample displays, with dissimilar and similar noise:
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| Related Studies in this Corpus | Treisman and Gelade 1980 | ||
| Works this Study Cites | none | ||
| Works in Set that Cite this Study | none | ||
| Study Abstract | none | ||
| Works Cited for Experment | Neisser 1964 | ||
| Data Analysis Instructions | The factors of interest are the line number of the target and the noise type. | ||
| Date Modified |
13-Mar-2003 |
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| Contact for More Information | |||