Abstract
Preferentially processing behaviorally relevant information is vital for primate survival. In visuospatial attention studies, manipulating the spatial extent of attention focus is an important question. Although many studies have claimed to successfully adjust attention field size by either varying the uncertainty about the target location (spatial uncertainty) or adjusting the size of the cue orienting the attention focus, no systematic studies have assessed and compared the effectiveness of these methods. We used a multiple cue paradigm with 2.5° and 7.5° rings centered around a target position to measure the cue size effect, while the spatial uncertainty levels were manipulated by changing the number of cueing positions. We found that spatial uncertainty had a significant impact on reaction time during target detection, while the cue size effect was less robust. We also carefully varied the spatial scope of potential target locations within a small or large region and found that this amount of variation in spatial uncertainty can also significantly influence target detection speed. Our results indicate that adjusting spatial uncertainty is more effective than varying cue size when manipulating attention field size.
Highlights
Processing behaviorally relevant information is vital for primate survival
We found that smaller cue size does not necessarily lead to higher processing efficiency within the cued area, and that spatial uncertainty reduction always causes a decrease in target detection reaction time
Trials with an error were rare, and the false alarm rates in catch trials among the different conditions were analyzed
Summary
Data were analyzed by one-way repeated-measures analysis of variance (two spatial scopes of the potential target locations). Another study observed the cue size effect at 804 ms SOA21 These results suggest that varying the cue size may influence the spatial extent of both exogenous and endogenous attention. Instead of manipulating the spatial extent of their attention focus, the participants may shift a small, fixed size attention beam between these potential target locations This means there was shorter time stayed at a given location when the spatial uncertainty was larger, which would have led to worse performance in detection. There was no parametric modulation related to the number of cued locations in frontoparietal areas[34], which are responsible for controlling attention shifts[35] These results support that the spatial scope of visual attention zooms with the variation of spatial uncertainty and argue strongly against a shifting strategy. We demonstrated that spatial uncertainty, not cue size, is the key factor when manipulating attention field size
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
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 callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
