| Popis: |
Attentional selection is constrained by object representations (object-based attention) that consist of low-level (e.g., boundaries signaled by closure) and high-level (e.g., semantic category) properties. Whereas low-level information has repeatedly been shown to constrain object-based attention with the use of simple geometric figures, high-level information (such as meaning) has only recently been shown to be an important factor in object-based guidance of attention. Here, we characterize the relative contributions of object boundaries and object semantic identity to attentional allocation by systematically reducing the contribution from both levels of description. The relative contribution of these object properties was measured by examining object-based attentional guidance after abruptly replacing an attended object with a new object with varying boundary and/or semantic similarity to the original object. Overall, object-based attentional guidance was sustained if either object property was stable. That is, object-based attentional effects were observed when either boundaries or semantic category was largely preserved, but object-based effects were absent when both properties were disturbed. These results support recent evidence that both low-level and high-level object properties contribute to attentional guidance and suggest that object-based attention may efficiently guide behavior even in naturalistic conditions with real-world objects and environmental fluctuations (e.g., dim lighting, fog, blurry vision). |
