How to produce an absent-advantage in visual search

In a series of four experiments, we investigated the conditions under which target-absent responses are faster than target-present responses in visual search. Previous experiments have shown that such an absent-advantage occu rs mainly for homogeneous distracters arranged in a regular pattern. From t hese results, it has been concluded that the absent-advantage is due to per ceptual processes, such as grouping by similarity. Our data show that such processes are not sufficient. Rather, the absent-advantage is the result of interactions between perceptual and decisional processes. Certain perceptu al conditions, such as randomizing stimulus patterns, lead to specific crit eria settings that produce an absent-advantage. That such an account can ex plain our main results is demonstrated by modeling our data with a modified version of the Guided Search 2 model.