Abstract
Previous studies have suggested that extensive action video gaming may enhance perceptual and attentional capacities. Here, we probed whether attentional differences between video-game experts and non-experts hold when attention is selectively directed at global or local structures. We measured performance on a modified attentional-blink task using hierarchically structured stimuli that consisted of global and local elements. Stimuli carried congruent or incongruent information. In two experiments, we asked observers to direct their attention globally (Experiment 1) or locally (Experiment 2). In each RSVP trial, observers were asked to identify the identity of an initial target (T1), and detect the presence or absence of a second target (T2). Experts showed a markedly attenuated attentional blink, as quantified by higher T2 detection sensitivity, relative to non-experts, in both global and local tasks. Notably, experts and non-experts were comparably affected by stimulus congruency. We speculate that the observed visuo-attentional advantage is unlikely to be related to mere differences perceptual tendencies (i.e., greater global precedence), which has been previously associated with diminished attentional blink.
Highlights
We subsequently performed additional analyses on our attentional blink data, including gender as a factor. Results from these analyses suggest that expertise-related effects found in our current experiments are comparable for both gender groups, and for both tasks (See Supplementary Figure S2), echoing current literature which has not recorded clear gender differences both in visual processing at large and in visual attention[40,41,42,43,44]
Using a modified attentional blink paradigm employing Navon-type hierarchical figures, we showed that congruent with early studies[2,5,9], action video game experts exhibit an attenuated attentional blink relative to non-experts
This benefit holds both when attention was selectively directed towards global or local features. This apparent visuo-attentional advantage is independent of group differences in attaining general task demands
Summary
In Experiment 1, observers ranged in age from 20 to 30 years old (M = 22.36, SD = 2.98), and were sorted into action video-gamers (AVGs) or non-video gamers (NVGs) based on their answers to a preliminary survey of their video gaming habits and expertise (regardless of their self-identified status, see below). Four participants were excluded from the study because they self-identified to be action video-gamers, they could not be classified clearly into either category based on their responses and our criteria. In Experiment 2, we tested fifty-five new observers after excluding two observers who could not be classified (AVG: 18 males, 10 females; NVG: 12 males, 15 females), who ranged in age from 18 to 35 years old (M = 22.2, SD = 3.03)
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