Cortical Magnification Neutralizes the Eccentricity Effect in Visual Search

1997/01/01 by Marisa Carrasco, MARISA CARRASCO, KAREN S. FRIEDER +1 · 235 citations
Mathematics · Neuroscience · Psychology · #Artificial intelligence #Computer science #Computer vision #Covert #Eccentricity (behavior) #Feature (linguistics) #Geometry #Magnification #Mathematics #Multisensory perception and integration #Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies #Optics #Orientation (vector space) #Pattern recognition (psychology) #Physics #Psychology #Set (abstract data type) #Social psychology #Visual field #Visual perception and processing mechanisms #Visual search

paper · pdf · doi:10.1016/s0042-6989(96)00102-2

published in Vision Research 37(1), 63-82 (Elsevier BV)

openalex publication_date 1997/01/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/04

Abstract

We report two visual search experiments that explain an eccentricity effect previously found: detection of both feature and conjunction targets becomes increasingly less efficient as the orientation target appears at more distant field eccentricities (Carrasco et al., 1995). By cortically magnifying the stimuli we flattened out this effect for both feature and conjunction tasks. We conclude that spatial resolution factors affect visual search findings that have hitherto been attributed to covert attention. We stress the importance of analyzing data by target position to minimize the confound of the set size effect and retinal/field eccentricity. An alternative theory of orientation asymmetries is offered.

Citations

• Contrast thresholds for identification of numeric characters in direct and eccentric view
• A feature-integration theory of attention

Cited by

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