Low-Level Masking in the Attentional Blink

• Published in: Journal of experimental psychology. Human perception and performance 1997-08, Vol.23 (4), p.1061-1073
• Main Authors: Seiffert, Adriane E, Di Lollo, Vincent
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Attention; Attentional Blink; Biological and medical sciences; Eyes & eyesight; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Human; Male; Masking; Perception; Psychology; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Stimulus Presentation Methods; Vision; Visual Masking; Visual perception
• ISSN: 0096-1523; 1939-1277
• DOI: 10.1037/0096-1523.23.4.1061

If two targets (T1 and T2) are to be identified among other stimuli displayed in rapid serial visual presentation (RSVP), correct identification of T1 can produce an attentional blink (AB) lasting several hundred milliseconds, during which detection of T2 is impaired. Experiment 1 confirmed that omission of the item directly following T1 (the +1 item) reduces the AB (J. E. Raymond, K. L. Shapiro, & K. M. Arnell, 1992). The next 3 experiments varied the spatial and temporal relationships between T1 and the +1 item to study how masking of T1 affects the AB deficit. Perception of T1 was impaired by pattern masking arising from temporal integration or superimposition of T1 and the +1 item; it was also impaired by metacontrast masking. We conclude that masking affects the AB indirectly by degrading T1 thereby increasing the duration of T1 processing. A 2-stage model proposed by M. M. Chun and M. C. Potter (1995) is supported.