The Influence Of Endogenous Cues Of Object Perception On Attentional Orienting

Previous research has shown that visual attention can be allocated to a spatial attention in two qualitatively different ways. Attention can be shifted endogenously in response to centrally presented precues, or it can be captured exogenously by a visual stimulus with an abrupt onset. It has been largely confirmed that exogenous orienting of attention is an automatic process in a bottom-up fashion, whereas endogenous orienting of attention represents a controlled and strategic process.In this article, a new kind material was adopted as endogenous cues to be presented at the fixation and peripheral positions, respectively, and the result expanded the understanding of endogenous attentional orienting.The first studies were conducted to investigate whether endogenous cues, except eyes and arrows, had the ability to elicit the facilitation effect, that is, participants were expected to be faster to detect a target presented at the spatial position that had been directed by the precue.. The participants were presented a one-half object at the fixation position, a facilitation effect was found when SOA was500ms, and it was proved, through further data comparison, that this facilitation effect was interrupted by participants’perceptual processes of the cues.In the second study, an object with missing part in the center was presented as precues at the peripheral positions and the missing part was used as targets, the result showed an facilitation was found after inhibition of return when SOA was1500ms. And two experiments were added to explore when the relation between cues and targets was eliminated, the facilitation disappeared.Taken together, the results of the present study implied as following:1. Facilitation effect could be elicited by objects at the central fixation without biological features.2. Endogenous attentional orienting occurred and developed more slowly than exogenous attentional orienting. 3. Attentional orienting by peripheral cues is modulated by top-down processes and the results showed, in the first time, a facilitation effect after inhibition of return.