Effects of color heterogeneity on subitization.

Full Abstract

Small numbers of items can be enumerated rapidly and accurately via a process termed subitizing. In two experiments, we examined the effect of target color heterogeneity on subitizing efficiency. In contrast to the findings of Puts and de Weert (1997), we found that observers were no less efficient at subitizing displays containing red and green items than they were at subitizing displays of a single color. We propose that these findings are consistent with subitization operating on items represented within a location master map that codes where objects are but not what they are. The data are discussed in relation to recent findings concerning the detection of single-feature targets and the functional architecture of early visual processing.

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Author information

Author/s: Watson, Derrick G (DG); Maylor, Elizabeth A (EA);

Affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Warwick, Coventry, England. d.g.watson(-atsign-)warwick.ac.uk

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: Perception & psychophysics (Percept Psychophys), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2006-Feb; vol 68 (issue 2) : pp 319-26

Dates: Created 2006/06/15; Completed 2006/07/12; Revised 2008/11/21;

PMID: 16773903, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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