The limits of predictive remapping of attention across eye movements

Kiki Arkesteijn*, Artem V. Belopolsky, Jeroen B.J. Smeets, Mieke Donk

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to JournalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

With every eye movement, visual input projected onto our retina changes drastically. The fundamental question of how we keep track of relevant objects and movement targets has puzzled scientists for more than a century. Recent advances suggested that this can be accomplished through the process of predictive remapping of visual attention to the future post-saccadic locations of relevant objects. Evidence for the existence of predictive remapping of attention was first provided by Rolfs et al. (2011) (Nature Neuroscience, 14, 252-256). However, they used a single distant control location away from the task-relevant locations, which could have biased the allocation of visual attention. In this study we used a similar experimental paradigm as Rolfs et al. (2011), but probed attention equally likely at all possible locations. Our results showed that discrimination performance was higher at the remapped location than at a distant control location, but not compared to the other two control locations. A re-analysis of the results obtained by Rolfs et al. (2011) revealed a similar pattern. Together, these findings suggest that it is likely that previous reports of the predictive remapping of attention were due to a diffuse spread of attention to the task-relevant locations rather than to a specific shift toward the target's future retinotopic location.

Original languageEnglish
Article number1146
Pages (from-to)1-10
Number of pages10
JournalFrontiers in Psychology
Volume10
Issue numberMAY
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 24 May 2019

Keywords

  • Behavior
  • Planning
  • Replication study
  • Saccades
  • Sequence

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'The limits of predictive remapping of attention across eye movements'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this