Attention Eye tracking seminar 2/19/15 Presented by Tatiana - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Attention Eye tracking seminar 2/19/15 Presented by Tatiana Emmanouil

Outline • What is attention? • How is attention allocated? • How are eye movements related to attention? • Further questions

Attention • Attention highlights relevant sensory information. • Attention has a limited capacity

How is attention allocated? • We can direct attention to information that is relevant for our goals  top-down attention

How is attention allocated? • We can direct attention to serve our behavioral goals  top-down attention • Attention is often captured by salient stimuli in the environment  bottom-up attention

How is attention allocated? • We can direct attention to serve our behavioral goals  top-down attention • Attention is often captured by salient stimuli in the environment  bottom-up attention

Top-down vs bottom-up attention Top-down: Stored stored representations representations, modify the priorities given to expectations different stimuli priors Sensory Bottom-up processing Stimulus “hijacks” the system based on its features

Separate attention networks Top-down attention:  Dorsal network Bottom-up attention  Ventral network

Interaction between top-down and bottom-up attention • Salience maps contain a map of locations that are differentially activated depending on both bottom-up salience and top-down goals

Attention and eye movements • Attention and eye movements are naturally linked • However attention can shift without an eye movement • Attention with eye movements = overt attention • Attention without eye movements = covert attention

Attention and eye movements • The neural networks that support attentional shifts and eye movements overlap (Corbetta et al., 1998) • Premotor theory of attention (Rizolatti et al., 1987):  A shift of attention is a planned eye movement

Attention and eye movements • A large body of research investigates covert shifts of attention. • In these experiments participants are asked to attend while maintaining central fixation. McMains et al., 2007

Covert attention can be studied! Valid target Cue Interval * Invalid target * * * • Reaction times are faster for targets that appear in attended compared to unattended locations.

Further questions • Does attention highlight locations in space or entire objects? • In what ways does attention “enhance” the processing of information? • What happens to information that we do not attend to? • Are there some types of objects or scenes that require less attention to be perceived?

What happens when we do not attend? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWSxSQsspiQ