Attentional capture modulation: an integrative model

• Grant number: 13/13610-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• Start date: October 01, 2013
• End date: September 30, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Humanities - Psychology - Physiological Psychology
• Principal Investigator: Luiz Eduardo Ribeiro Do Valle
• Grantee: Fernanda Amadei Sais
• Supervisor: Ellen Seiss
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: University of Surrey, England
• Associated to the scholarship: 11/20243-0 - Attentional capture modulation: an integrative model, BP.DR

Abstract

Recent studies account that different sensorial and modulatory factors, such as stimulus salience, visual noise presented on the scene, perceptual difficulty of the task performed, the cognitive load of the task and the nature of the task at hand are important to determine if attention is captured by a visual stimulus. At our laboratory we have found evidence that subtle changes in the conditions of stimuli presentation, as, for example, the use of placeholders on the screen and its intensity, affect the capture of attention. To investigate how these factors influence attentional capture, it is necessary to combine different experimental techniques. At our laboratory we have used behavioral measures to investigate and discover factors that affect the capture of attention and now electrophysiological measures in the different experimental conditions we have studied are of great interest to interpret our results and understand the attentional mechanisms involved. By the use of event related potentials (ERP), it will be possible to investigate in which conditions the electrophysiological correlates of attentional processing are present, the latency of these correlates, and its association with the behavioral effects observed. In the period of study at University of Surrey, it will be possible to get trainment on the PRE techniques and establish a partnership in this field of investigation. In that way, we will be able to realize more complete studies on visual attention and contribute more meaningfully to the understanding of the mechanisms involved. (AU)