VISUAL DETECTION OF STATIC OBJECTS AMONG DYNAMIC DISTRACTORS

Abstract

Though a dynamic object, placed against stationary background, always grabs attention, opposite is not necessarily true. Hence, in this study we placed a stationary target among the dynamic distractors. We investigated whether visual detection depends on (1) set size (9, 18 or 27), (2) type of the distractor dynamics (jitter, blink, or luminance change) and (3) synchronisation (synchronized or unsynchronized distractors change). In contrast to pop-out effect of a dynamic target, the search for stationary target was serial, as the RT analysis revealed. The synchronisation of the distractor dynamic properties helped the detection especially in the larger sets. The most distracting for the target detection was illumination change of the distractors whereas the least distracting was blink.