Abstract
Endogenous and exogenous visuospatial attention both alter spatial resolution, but they operate via distinct mechanisms. In texture segmentation tasks, exogenous attention inflexibly increases resolution even when detrimental for the task at hand and does so by modulating second-order processing. Endogenous attention is more flexible and modulates resolution to benefit performance according to task demands, but it is unknown whether it also operates at the second-order level. To answer this question, we measured performance on a second-order texture segmentation task while independently manipulating endogenous and exogenous attention. Observers discriminated a secondorder texture target at several eccentricities. We found that endogenous attention improved performance uniformly across eccentricity, suggesting a flexible mechanism that can increase or decrease resolution based on task demands. In contrast, exogenous attention improved performance in the periphery but impaired it at central retinal locations, consistent with an inflexible resolution enhancement. Our results reveal that endogenous and exogenous attention both alter spatial resolution by differentially modulating second-order processing.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Article number | 2 |
| Pages (from-to) | 1-12 |
| Number of pages | 12 |
| Journal | Journal of vision |
| Volume | 18 |
| Issue number | 7 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jul 1 2018 |
Keywords
- Covert attention
- Second-order
- Spatial resolution
- Texture segmentation
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Ophthalmology
- Sensory Systems
Cite this
Attention alters spatial resolution by modulating second-order processing. / Jigo, Michael; Carrasco-Queijeiro, Marisa.
In: Journal of vision, Vol. 18, No. 7, 2, 01.07.2018, p. 1-12.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Attention alters spatial resolution by modulating second-order processing
AU - Jigo, Michael
AU - Carrasco-Queijeiro, Marisa
PY - 2018/7/1
Y1 - 2018/7/1
N2 - Endogenous and exogenous visuospatial attention both alter spatial resolution, but they operate via distinct mechanisms. In texture segmentation tasks, exogenous attention inflexibly increases resolution even when detrimental for the task at hand and does so by modulating second-order processing. Endogenous attention is more flexible and modulates resolution to benefit performance according to task demands, but it is unknown whether it also operates at the second-order level. To answer this question, we measured performance on a second-order texture segmentation task while independently manipulating endogenous and exogenous attention. Observers discriminated a secondorder texture target at several eccentricities. We found that endogenous attention improved performance uniformly across eccentricity, suggesting a flexible mechanism that can increase or decrease resolution based on task demands. In contrast, exogenous attention improved performance in the periphery but impaired it at central retinal locations, consistent with an inflexible resolution enhancement. Our results reveal that endogenous and exogenous attention both alter spatial resolution by differentially modulating second-order processing.
AB - Endogenous and exogenous visuospatial attention both alter spatial resolution, but they operate via distinct mechanisms. In texture segmentation tasks, exogenous attention inflexibly increases resolution even when detrimental for the task at hand and does so by modulating second-order processing. Endogenous attention is more flexible and modulates resolution to benefit performance according to task demands, but it is unknown whether it also operates at the second-order level. To answer this question, we measured performance on a second-order texture segmentation task while independently manipulating endogenous and exogenous attention. Observers discriminated a secondorder texture target at several eccentricities. We found that endogenous attention improved performance uniformly across eccentricity, suggesting a flexible mechanism that can increase or decrease resolution based on task demands. In contrast, exogenous attention improved performance in the periphery but impaired it at central retinal locations, consistent with an inflexible resolution enhancement. Our results reveal that endogenous and exogenous attention both alter spatial resolution by differentially modulating second-order processing.
KW - Covert attention
KW - Second-order
KW - Spatial resolution
KW - Texture segmentation
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85052653238&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85052653238&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1167/18.7.2
DO - 10.1167/18.7.2
M3 - Article
VL - 18
SP - 1
EP - 12
JO - Journal of vision
JF - Journal of vision
SN - 1534-7362
IS - 7
M1 - 2
ER -