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Abstract:
Abstract: It has often been suggested that visual grouping
processes, guided by Gestalt principles, segment the visual scene
preattentively. However, Mack et al (1992; see also Mack &
Rock, 1998) argued that no such grouping takes place under
conditions of true inattention. The possibility of inattentive
grouping is explored here whilst avoiding potential drawbacks of
the retrospective surprise questioning used by Mack et al.
Participants performed a difficult central task, assessing whether
a small matrix pattern changed in two brief successive displays.
Irrelevant background circles surrounding the central matrix were
arranged by color into columns of alternating color, or had a
random color arrangement. Independently of any matrix change, the
background color arrangement could change or remain the same across
successive displays. Judgements of matrix change were influenced by
any background change, even though the latter could not be
explicitly reported when probed with the method of Mack et al.
These data suggest that visual grouping still takes place, but
implicitly, under inattention.
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