A FRAMEWORK FOR UNDERSTANDING THE ALLOCATION OF ATTENTION IN LOCATION-PRECUSED DISCRIMINATION

The effects of attention on visual perception are assessed in the loca tion-precuing paradigm. First, we present a review of some current met aphors for attention and relevant data. Then, a framework is suggested that provides an interpretation of the temporal sequence of external and assumed internal processes within a location-cuing trial. Cases wh en a precue correctly indicates the target location (valid trials) are compared to cases when the precue directs attention to the wrong loca tion (invalid trials) with the cue location either at fixation or peri pheral to the target location. Several specific hypotheses are suggest ed; these concern decrements in performance on invalid trials and effe cts of the location of a precue. For the most part, these hypotheses a re supported by data in the literature and in some new studies. A grad ient-filter metaphor for attention, which includes a synthesis of idea s from the gradient model and the attention gate model, is more consis tent with the data than is a spotlight metaphor.