Citation

Jannati A, Spalek TM, Lagroix HE, Di Lollo V. J. Exp. Psychol. Hum. Percept. Perform. 2011; 38(1): 161-168.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2011, American Psychological Association)

DOI

10.1037/a0025985

PMID

22060143

Abstract

Identification of the second of two targets (T2) is impaired when presented shortly after the first (T1). This attentional blink (AB) is thought to arise from a delay in T2 processing during which T2 is vulnerable to masking. Conventional studies have measured T2 accuracy which is constrained by the 100% ceiling. We avoided this problem by using a dynamic threshold-tracking procedure that is inherently free from ceiling constraints. In two experiments we examined how AB magnitude is affected by three masking-related factors: (a) presence/absence of T2 mask, (b) T2-mask stimulus onset asynchrony (SOA), and (c) level of T2 impoverishment (signal-to-noise ratio [SNR]). In Experiment 1, overall accuracy decreased with T2-mask SOA. The magnitude of the AB, however, was invariant with SOA and with mask presence/absence. Experiment 2 further showed that the AB was invariant with T2 SNR. The relationship among mask presence/absence, SOA, and T2 SNR and the AB is encompassed in a qualitative model. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved).

Language: en