Sustained attention and the flash grab effect.

When a stationary target is briefly presented on top of a moving background as it reverses direction, the target is displaced perceptually in the direction of the upcoming motion (the flash grab effect). To determine the role of attention in this effect, we investigated whether the predictability of the location of the flash grab target modulates the illusion. First, we established that effect was weaker for spatially predictable targets. Next, we showed that the flash grab effect decreased for a narrower spatial spread of attention before the onset of the target and that it was smaller for left hemifield presentations than right. Finally, we demonstrated that diverting attention away from the target and the background motion decreases the flash grab effect. In the first two experiments, the decrease in the illusion could be attributed to either increased attention to the target or decreased attention to the motion; we assume that increasing attention to the target necessarily decreases attention to the motion. However, in the final experiment, the central task decreases attention to both the target and the motion. The results show a decrease in the illusion and that reveals that attention to the motion is the primary causal factor.

Attentional Modulation in Early Visual Cortex: A Focused Reanalysis of Steady-state Visual Evoked Potential Studies.

Steady-state visual evoked potentials (SSVEPs) are a powerful tool for investigating selective attention. Here, we conducted a combined reanalysis of multiple studies employing this technique in a variety of attentional experiments to, first, establish benchmark effect sizes of attention on amplitude and phase of SSVEPs and, second, harness the power of a large data set to test more specific hypotheses. Data of eight published SSVEP studies were combined, in which human participants (n = 135 in total) attended to flickering random dot stimuli based on their defining features (e.g., location, color, luminance, or orientation) or feature conjunctions. The reanalysis established that, in all the studies, attention reliably enhanced amplitudes, with color-based attention providing the strongest effect. In addition, the latency of SSVEPs elicited by attended stimuli was reduced by ∼4 msec. Next, we investigated the modulation of SSVEP amplitudes in a subset of studies where two different features were attended concurrently. Although most models assume that attentional effects of multiple features are combined additively, our results suggest that neuronal enhancement provided by concurrent attention is better described by multiplicative integration. Finally, we used the combined data set to demonstrate that the increase in trial-averaged SSVEP amplitudes with attention cannot be explained by increased synchronization of single-trial phases. Contrary to the prediction of the phase-locking account, the variance across trials of complex Fourier coefficients increases with attention, which is more consistent with boosting of a largely phase-locked signal embedded in non-phase-locked noise.

Motion-induced distortion of shape.

Motion, position, and form are intricately intertwined in perception. Motion distorts visual space, resulting in illusory position shifts such as flash-drag and flash-grab effects. The flash-grab displaces a test by up to several times its size. This lets us use it to investigate where the motion-induced shift operates in the processing stream from photoreceptor activation to feature activation to object recognition. We present several canonical, highly familiar forms and ask whether the motion-induced shift operates uniformly across the form. If it did, we could conclude that the effect occurred after the elements of the form are bound. However, we find that motion-induced distortion affects not only the position, but also the appearance of briefly presented, canonical shapes (square, circle, and letter T). Features of the flashed target that were closest to its center were shifted in the direction of motion more than those further from its center. Outline shapes were affected more than filled shapes, and the strength of the distortion increased with the contrast of the moving background. This not only supports a nonuniform spatial profile for the motion-induced shift but also indicates that the shift operates before the shape is established, even for highly familiar shapes like squares, circles, and letters.

Fundamental units of numerosity estimation.

Humans can approximately enumerate a large number of objects at a single glance. While several mechanisms have been proposed to account for this ability, the fundamental units over which they operate remain unclear. Previous studies have argued that estimation mechanisms act only on topologically distinct units or on units formed by spatial grouping cues such as proximity and connectivity, but not on units grouped by similarity. Over four experiments, we tested this claim by systematically assessing and demonstrating that similarity grouping leads to underestimation, just as spatial grouping does. Ungrouped objects with the same low-level properties as grouped objects did not cause underestimation. Further, the underestimation caused by spatial and similarity grouping was additive, suggesting that these grouping processes operate independently. These findings argue against the proposal that estimation mechanisms operate solely on topological units. Instead, we conclude that estimation processes act on representations constructed after Gestalt grouping principles, whether similarity based or spatial, have organised incoming visual input.

Attentional Enhancement of Tracked Stimuli in Early Visual Cortex Has Limited Capacity.

Keeping track of the location of multiple moving objects is one of the well documented functions of visual attention. However, the mechanism of attentional selection that supports such continuous tracking is unclear. In particular, it has been proposed that target selection in early visual cortex occurs in parallel, with tracking errors arising because of attentional limitations at later processing stages. Here, we examine whether, instead, total attentional capacity for enhancement of early visual processing of tracked targets is shared between all attended stimuli. If the magnitude of attentional facilitation of multiple tracked targets was a key limiting factor of tracking ability, then one should expect it to drop systematically with increasing set-size of tracked targets. Human observers (male and female) were instructed to track two, four, or six moving objects among a pool of identical distractors. Steady-state visual evoked potentials (SSVEPs) recorded during the tracking period revealed that the processing of tracked targets was consistently amplified compared with the processing of the distractors. The magnitude of this amplification decreased with increasing set size, and at lateral occipital electrodes it closely followed inverse proportionality to the number of tracked items, suggesting that limited attentional resources must be shared among the tracked stimuli. Accordingly, the magnitude of attentional facilitation predicted the behavioral outcome at the end of the trial. Together, these findings demonstrate that the limitations of multiple object tracking (MOT) across set-sizes stem from the limitations of top-down selective attention already at the early stages of visual processing.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The ability to selectively attend to relevant features or objects is the key to flexibility of perception and action in the continuously changing environment. This ability is demonstrated in the multiple object tracking (MOT) task where observers monitor multiple independently moving objects at different locations in the visual field. The role of early attentional enhancement in tracking was previously acknowledged in the literature, however, the limitations on tracking were thought to arise during later stages of processing. Here, we demonstrate that the strength of attentional facilitation depends on the number of tracked objects and predicts successful tracking performance. Thus, it is the limitations of attentional enhancement at the early stages of visual processing that determine behavioral performance limits.

Abstracts of Scottish Vision Group 2022 Meeting.

Since it was first launched in 2001, the Scottish Vision Group (SVG) has been a key meeting for vision scientists in Scotland, and has attracted vision scientists from the United Kingdom, Europe and beyond. This small conference is held annually at different places in Scotland. Its friendly atmosphere and stunning Scottish sceneries provide a great environment for relaxed scientific discussions. In particular, it is an excellent opportunity for scientists at an early stage of their career to give a talk about their work. The 2022 edition of SVG was held in St Leonard's Hall at the University of Edinburgh. The meeting started with a panel discussion on camouflage led by Prof Nick Scott-Samuel (University of Bristol), Dr George Lovell (Abertay University) and Dr Rebecca Sharman (Abertay University). Research into camouflage has expanded remarkably over the last decade or so, with interdisciplinarity proving to be a key feature for progress. The discussion focussed on the different types of objectives and research techniques that are prominent in the field. The round table was sponsored by Meta Reality Labs. In the keynote lecture, sponsored by MDPI Vision, Prof Ute Leonards (University of Bristol) discussed the outcomes of her research programme investigating the crosstalk between visual cognition research and locomotion research. The outcomes of this Gibsonian approach do not just provide important insights into active vision but also outline the promising possibilities of sustainable urban design inspired by vision sciences. The rest of the conference was dedicated to talks on a variety of topics, including, but not limited to, attention, eye movements, visual search, motion perception, multisensory perception, colour and 3D vision. We present a selection of these abstracts. An associated Special Issue captures in fuller detail some of the research presented at SVG's 2022 edition.

#EEGManyLabs: Investigating the replicability of influential EEG experiments.

There is growing awareness across the neuroscience community that the replicability of findings about the relationship between brain activity and cognitive phenomena can be improved by conducting studies with high statistical power that adhere to well-defined and standardised analysis pipelines. Inspired by recent efforts from the psychological sciences, and with the desire to examine some of the foundational findings using electroencephalography (EEG), we have launched #EEGManyLabs, a large-scale international collaborative replication effort. Since its discovery in the early 20th century, EEG has had a profound influence on our understanding of human cognition, but there is limited evidence on the replicability of some of the most highly cited discoveries. After a systematic search and selection process, we have identified 27 of the most influential and continually cited studies in the field. We plan to directly test the replicability of key findings from 20 of these studies in teams of at least three independent laboratories. The design and protocol of each replication effort will be submitted as a Registered Report and peer-reviewed prior to data collection. Prediction markets, open to all EEG researchers, will be used as a forecasting tool to examine which findings the community expects to replicate. This project will update our confidence in some of the most influential EEG findings and generate a large open access database that can be used to inform future research practices. Finally, through this international effort, we hope to create a cultural shift towards inclusive, high-powered multi-laboratory collaborations.

Parallel attentional facilitation of features and objects in early visual cortex.

Selective attention can enhance the processing of attended features across the entire visual field. Attention also spreads within objects, enhancing all internal locations and task-irrelevant features of selected objects. Here, we examine the extent to which attentional enhancement of a feature spreads across attended and unattended objects. Two fully overlapping counter-rotating bicolored surfaces of light and dark random dots were presented on a gray background of intermediate luminance. This stimulus creates a percept of two separate semitransparent surfaces and allows the measurement of feature- and object-based selections while controlling spatial attention. On each trial, human participants attended to a subset of dots defined by feature (luminance polarity) and object (surface) in order to detect brief episodes of radial motion while ignoring any events in the unattended groups of dots. Attentional selection was assessed by means of steady-state visual evoked potentials (SSVEPs) and behavioral measures. SSVEP amplitudes recorded at medial occipital electrode sites were modulated both by surface-based and luminance polarity-based selection in a manner consistent with independent multiplicative enhancement of attentional effects in different dimensions in early visual cortex. This finding supports the view that feature-based attention spreads across object boundaries, at least at an early stage of processing. However, SSVEPs elicited at more lateral electrode sites showed a hierarchical pattern of selection, potentially reflecting the binding of surface-defining features with luminance features to enable surface-based attention.

Expecting the unexpected: Temporal expectation increases the flash-grab effect.

In the flash-grab effect, when a disk is flashed on a moving background at the moment it reverses direction, the perceived location of the disk is strongly displaced in the direction of the motion that follows the reversal. Here, we ask whether increased expectation of the reversal reduces its effect on the motion-induced shift, as suggested by predictive coding models with first order predictions. Across four experiments we find that when the reversal is expected, the illusion gets stronger, not weaker. We rule out accumulating motion adaptation as a contributing factor. The pattern of results cannot be accounted for by first-order predictions of location. Instead, it appears that second-order predictions of event timing play a role. Specifically, we conclude that temporal expectation causes a transient increase in temporal attention, boosting the strength of the motion signal and thereby increasing the strength of the illusion.

Motion-Induced Scotoma.

We investigated artificial scotomas created when a moving object instantaneously crossed a gap, jumping ahead and continuing its otherwise smooth motion. Gaps of up to 5.1 degrees of visual angle, presented at 18° eccentricity, either closed completely or appeared much shorter than when the same gap was crossed by two-point apparent motion, or crossed more slowly, mimicking occlusion. Prolonged exposure to motion trajectories with a gap in most cases led to further shrinking of the gap. The same gap-shrinking effect has previously been observed in touch. In both sensory modalities, it implicates facilitation among codirectional local motion detectors and motion neurons with receptive fields larger than the gap. Unlike stimuli that simply deprive a receptor surface of input, suggesting it is insentient, our motion pattern skips a section in a manner that suggests a portion of the receptor surface has been excised, and the remaining portions stitched back together. This makes it a potentially useful tool in the experimental study of plasticity in sensory maps.

Top-Down Attention Is Limited Within but Not Between Feature Dimensions.

In natural vision, processing of spatial and nonspatial features occurs simultaneously; however, the two types of attention in charge of facilitating this processing have distinct mechanisms. Here, we tested the independence of spatial and feature-based attention at different stages of visual processing by examining color-based attentional selection while spatial attention was focused or divided. Human observers attended to one or two of four fields of randomly moving dots presented in both left and right visual hemifields. In the focused attention condition, the target stimulus was defined both by color and location, whereas in the divided attention condition stimuli of the target color had to be attended in both hemifields. Sustained attentional selection was measured by means of steady-state visual evoked potentials elicited by each of the frequency-tagged flickering dot fields. Additionally, target and distractor selection was assessed with ERPs to these stimuli. We found that spatial and color-based attention independently modulated the amplitude of steady-state visual evoked potentials, confirming independent top-down influences on early visual areas. In contrast, P3 amplitudes elicited only by targets and distractors of the attended color were subject to space-based enhancement, suggesting increasing integration of spatial and feature-based selection over the course of perceptual processing.

Fröhlich effect and delays of visual attention.

In the Fröhlich effect, the initial position of an object that suddenly appears in motion is perceived as being shifted in the direction of its motion. Here we establish that this shift is not an obligatory consequence of motion, but it is driven by focused attention. In Experiment 1 using different cueing conditions, we found that invalid cues produced larger perceptual shifts, although the Fröhlich effect was still present for valid and neutral cues. These results support Müsseler and Aschersleben's (1998) proposal that the Fröhlich effect is the result of the time it takes to shift focal attention to the moving stimulus. In Experiment 2 we found that the Fröhlich effect increased when the valid cue arrived more than 100 ms after the start of motion, suggesting again that a delay in attention's arrival shifted the location of the perceived motion onset. In Experiment 3 we compare the motion-induced shifts when the subjects attended to a set of moving stimuli as a group and when they attended to an orientation singleton. We showed that Fröhlich effect was only present when the target was individuated and disappeared when the stimulus was perceived globally. We conclude that the Fröhlich effect is a predictive spatial shift produced and modulated by focal attention.

Distinct Mechanisms for Distractor Suppression and Target Facilitation.

It is well established that preparatory attention improves processing of task-relevant stimuli. Although it is often more important to ignore task-irrelevant stimuli, comparatively little is known about preparatory attentional mechanisms for inhibiting expected distractions. Here, we establish that distractor inhibition is not under the same top-down control as target facilitation. Using a variant of the Posner paradigm, participants were cued to either the location of a target stimulus, the location of a distractor, or were provided no predictive information. In Experiment 1, we found that participants were able to use target-relevant cues to facilitate target processing in both blocked and flexible conditions, but distractor cueing was only effective in the blocked version of the task. In Experiment 2, we replicate these findings in a larger sample and leveraged the additional statistical power to perform individual differences analyses to tease apart potential underlying mechanisms. We found no evidence for a correlation between these two types of benefit, suggesting that flexible target cueing and distractor suppression depend on distinct cognitive mechanisms. In Experiment 3, we use EEG to show that preparatory distractor suppression is associated with a diminished P1, but we found no evidence to suggest that this effect was mediated by top-down control of oscillatory activity in the alpha band (8-12 Hz). We conclude that flexible top-down mechanisms of cognitive control are specialized for target-related attention, whereas distractor suppression only emerges when the predictive information can be derived directly from experience. This is consistent with a predictive coding model of expectation suppression. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: If you were told to ignore a white bear, you might find it quite difficult. Holding something in working memory is thought to automatically facilitate feature processing, even if doing so is detrimental to the current task. Despite this paradox, it is often assumed that distractor suppression is controlled via similar top-down mechanisms of attention that prepare brain areas for target enhancement. In particular, low-frequency oscillations in visual cortex appear especially well suited for gating task-irrelevant information. We describe the results of a series of studies exploring distractor suppression and challenge this popular notion. We draw on behavioral and EEG evidence to show that selective distractor suppression operates via an alternative mechanism, such as expectation suppression within a predictive coding framework.