Sensory Systems | Cognitive Neuroscience
The effect of speed on multiple object tracking: is it due solely to the number of close target-distractor interactions?
Cary S Feria*
*Corresponding author: Cary S Feria
San José State University, San José, CA, USA
F1000Posters 2011, 2: 614 (poster) [ENGLISH]
Poster [661.88 KB]
Presented at
Vision Sciences Society 11th Annual Meeting 2011,
6 - 11 May 2011, 23.429
Several studies have shown that multiple object tracking (MOT) performance declines as the speed of the objects increases. One possible explanation for this is that increases in speed increase the number of times that targets and distractors pass close to each other (“close encounters”), resulting in more target-distractor confusions (e.g., Franconeri et al 2010).
The present study investigates whether MOT performance is impaired by increases in speed that do not increase the number of close encounters. A series of four experiments was completed, using novel MOT displays in which objects’ speed was manipulated without changing the number of close encounters.
Tracking performance was found to decline as the speed of the objects increased. This demonstrates that even when the number of close encounters is held constant, speed still has an effect. While many studies have found that close encounters affect MOT, the results of the present study suggest that the increased number of close encounters is not the only cause of the impairment of MOT at higher speeds. Other factors, such as the increased attentional allocation required (e.g., Alvarez & Franconeri 2007) and the increased difficulty of predicting future locations (Tombu & Seiffert 2008), probably play roles in the reduction of tracking at higher speeds as well.
No relevant conflicts of interest declared.
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