Abstract
Multiplex viewing of static or dynamic scenes is an increasing feature of screen media. Most existing multiplex experiments have examined detection across increasing scene numbers, but currently no systematic evaluation of the factors that might produce difficulty in processing multiplexes exists. Across five experiments we provide such an evaluation. Experiment 1 characterises difficulty in change detection when the number of scenes is increased. Experiment 2 reveals that the increased difficulty across multiple-scene displays is caused by the total amount of visual information accounts for differences in change detection times, regardless of whether this information is presented across multiple scenes, or contained in one scene. Experiment 3 shows that whether quadrants of a display were drawn from the same, or different scenes did not affect change detection performance. Experiment 4 demonstrates that knowing which scene the change will occur in means participants can perform at monoplex level. Finally, Experiment 5 finds that changes of central interest in multiplexed scenes are detected far easier than marginal interest changes to such an extent that a centrally interesting object removal in nine screens is detected more rapidly than a marginally interesting object removal in four screens. Processing multiple-screen displays therefore seems dependent on the amount of information, and the importance of that information to the task, rather than simply the number of scenes in the display. We discuss the theoretical and applied implications of these findings.
Highlights
The spatial and temporal constraints on human attention allocation in single scenes have been described in great detail
Any potential benefit of maximising the amount of visual information in this way must depend crucially on the limits of the human observer in processing this information (Attwood & Effron, 2006). While these multi-scene displays have permeated the way we interact with media, little is understood about how theory of scene perception generated from single scene viewing applies in these multiplex viewing conditions which present the visual system with an increased visual load, and introduce further potential sources of processing difficulty - such as the need to manage attention conflicts within a scene, and between the scenes in a display
The factors that underlie the allocation of gaze when looking at multiplexed scenes may not be the same as found in single scene viewing, such as the frame of reference around which inspection is organised during a multiplex scene-memorisation task (Stainer, ScottBrown, & Tatler, 2013a)
Summary
The spatial and temporal constraints on human attention allocation in single scenes have been described in great detail (see Tatler, 2009). Any potential benefit of maximising the amount of visual information in this way must depend crucially on the limits of the human observer in processing this information (Attwood & Effron, 2006). While these multi-scene displays have permeated the way we interact with media, little is understood about how theory of scene perception generated from single scene viewing applies in these multiplex viewing conditions which present the visual system with an increased visual load, and introduce further potential sources of processing difficulty - such as the need to manage attention conflicts within a scene, and between the scenes in a display. We used a change detection task to explore the contribution of several potential sources of processing difficulty in multiple-scene displays based on previously observed relationships between items in a scene, or an array of scenes
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
