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Gaze Perception Requires Focused Attention: Evidence From an Interference Task

Burton, A. Mike, Bindemann, Markus, Langton, Stephen R. H., Schweinberger, Stefan R., Jenkins, Rob (2009) Gaze Perception Requires Focused Attention: Evidence From an Interference Task. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 35 (1). pp. 108-118. ISSN 0096-1523. (doi:10.1037/0096-1523.35.1.108) (The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided) (KAR id:26203)

The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided.
Official URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0096-1523.35.1.108

Abstract

The direction of another person’s gaze is difficult to ignore when presented at the center of attention. In 6 experiments, perception of unattended gaze was investigated. Participants made directional (left–right) judgments to gazing-face or pointing-hand targets, which were accompanied by a distractor face or hand. Processing of the distractor was assessed via congruency effects on target response times. Congruency effects were found from the direction of distractor hands but not from the direction of distractor gazes (Experiment 1). This pattern persisted even when distractor sizes were increased to compensate for their peripheral presentation (Experiments 2 and 5). In contrast, congruency effects were exerted by profile heads (Experiments 3 and 4). In Experiment 6, isolated eye region distractors produced no congruency effects, even when they were presented near the target. These results suggest that, unlike other facial information, gaze direction cannot be perceived outside the focus of attention.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1037/0096-1523.35.1.108
Subjects: B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology
Divisions: Divisions > Division of Human and Social Sciences > School of Psychology
Depositing User: Markus Bindemann
Date Deposited: 05 Jan 2011 17:37 UTC
Last Modified: 16 Nov 2021 10:04 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/26203 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

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