Effect of Fixation Point Distances on Allocation of Attention in Real Three-Dimensional Space

Abstract

Although variation in spatial relations between observer and objects is important when attention functions in three-dimensional space, the effects of changes in spatial relations on attention in real three-dimensional space are still unclear. In Exp. 1, the effects of varying distances of the fixation point on attention in a spatial cuing paradigm were investigated. In Exp. 2, the effects of increase in task demand were examined by making observers detect a blinking fixation point, while performing the same task as in Exp. 1. In both experiments, attention could be manipulated by a precue when the fixation-point distance changed from trial to trial, and in Exp. 2 distribution of attention was manipulated by perceptual load. These findings together indicate that allocation of attentional resources in three-dimensional space varies by task demand.