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Area activation: a computational model of saccadic selectivity in visual search
Author(s) -
Pomplun Marc,
Reingold Eyal M.,
Shen Jiye
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
cognitive science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.498
H-Index - 114
eISSN - 1551-6709
pISSN - 0364-0213
DOI - 10.1207/s15516709cog2702_7
Subject(s) - saccadic masking , visual search , counterintuitive , stimulus (psychology) , computer science , fixation (population genetics) , eye movement , artificial intelligence , psychology , cognitive psychology , chemistry , philosophy , biochemistry , epistemology , gene
The Area Activation Model (Pomplun, Reingold, Shen, & Williams, 2000) is a computational model predicting the statistical distribution of saccadic endpoints in visual search tasks. Its basic assumption is that saccades in visual search tend to foveate display areas that provide a maximum amount of task‐relevant information for processing during the subsequent fixation. In the present study, a counterintuitive prediction by the model is empirically tested, namely that saccadic selectivity towards stimulus features depends on the spatial arrangement of search items. We find good correspondence between simulated and empirically observed selectivity patterns, providing strong support for the Area Activation Model.