The CEU Department of Cognitive Science cordially invites you to a talk
(as part of its Departmental Colloquium series)
by
Jane Ridoch and Glyn Humphreys, Department al of Experimental
Psychology, University of Oxford
Date: Wednesday, May 30, 2012 - 17:00 - 18:30
Location: Department of Cognitive Science, CEU, Frankel Leó út 30-34.,
Room G15
The saliency of yellow corn: How learned conjunctions escape
attentional limitations
Abstract
A classic finding in attention research is that our ability to find
stimuli defined by conjunctions of features is limited, and ‘standard’
theories of human attention assume that the requirement of binding
features into conjunctions represents a major limit on our processing
abilities. However it is the case that nearly all experiments
demonstrating attentional limits on processing conjunctions have
examined cases where the features have arbitrary relations with one
another. In this talk we will present evidence indicating that many of
the classic attentional limits are overcome once participants have
learned the relationship between the features. Our argument is based on
several lines of evidence that we will present in the talk: (i)
automatic interference from irrelevant features of learned conjunctions;
(ii) efficient search and enhanced perceptual sensitivity for targets
defined by learned conjunctions of features; (iii) data indicating that
grouping between learned conjunctive features can mitigate attentional
constraints in neuropsychological patients, and (iv) fMRI results
indicating reduced activity for learned feature conjunctions in early
visual cortex. We argue that learned conjunctions are coded efficiently,
with few attentional limitations, in a bottom-up manner. The theoretical
implications are discussed.
We're looking forward to see you there (Frankel Leo u. 30-34) !
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