Attentional alterations of slant-specific interference between line segments in eccentric vision.

Abstract

Slant-specific interference between line segments in eccentric vision was altered by attentional methods in hypnotically susceptible observers. These methods included negative and positive posthypnotic hallucination of the inducing elements of the array, and nonhypnotic instruction to actively ignore the elements. Contributions to the experimental effects apparently derived in part from intrinsic inhibitory or facilitatory skill in the individual observer, sharpened by hypnotic training in hallucinations. Control observers with low and with high hypnotic susceptibility were not able to alter significantly the interference effect when attempting to simulate the hallucination conditions. The results seemingly link these attentional alterations to an early cortical stage of visual processing.