Abstract
BackgroundThe simultaneous tracking and identification of multiple moving objects encountered in everyday life requires one to correctly bind identities to objects. In the present study, we investigated the role of spatial configuration made by multiple targets when observers are asked to track multiple moving objects with distinct identities.Methodology/Principal FindingsThe overall spatial configuration made by the targets was manipulated: In the constant condition, the configuration remained as a virtual convex polygon throughout the tracking, and in the collapsed condition, one of the moving targets (critical target) crossed over an edge of the virtual polygon during tracking, destroying it. Identification performance was higher when the configuration remained intact than when it collapsed (Experiments 1a, 1b, and 2). Moreover, destroying the configuration affected the allocation of dynamic attention: the critical target captured more attention than did the other targets. However, observers were worse at identifying the critical target and were more likely to confuse it with the targets that formed the virtual crossed edge (Experiments 3–5). Experiment 6 further showed that the visual system constructs an overall configuration only by using the targets (and not the distractors); identification performance was not affected by whether the distractor violated the spatial configuration.Conclusions/SignificanceIn sum, these results suggest that the visual system may integrate targets (but not distractors) into a spatial configuration during multiple identity tracking, which affects the distribution of dynamic attention and the updating of identity-location binding.
Highlights
The visual system is challenged when one is required to track multiple moving objects in a dynamic visual environment
Conclusions/Significance: In sum, these results suggest that the visual system may integrate targets into a spatial configuration during multiple identity tracking, which affects the distribution of dynamic attention and the updating of identity-location binding
The current results support the view that spatial configuration plays an important role in multiple identity tracking
Summary
The visual system is challenged when one is required to track multiple moving objects in a dynamic visual environment. Awareness of ‘‘who’’ and ‘‘where’’ are both important factors when making quick yet rational decisions, such as passing the ball to the correct player. This type of task involves dynamic binding of identity and spatiotemporal information [1]. Pylyshyn and Storm (1988) were the first to investigate an observer’s ability to track multiple moving objects [2] Their multiple-object tracking (MOT) paradigm requires observers to simultaneously track a subset of moving targets presented on a computer monitor among a group of identical distractors. We investigated the role of spatial configuration made by multiple targets when observers are asked to track multiple moving objects with distinct identities
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