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Humans can efficiently look for but not select multiple visual objects.

Eduard Ort | Johannes Jacobus Fahrenfort | Tuomas Ten Cate | Martin Eimer | Christian Nl Olivers
eLife | 2019

The human brain recurrently prioritizes task-relevant over task-irrelevant visual information. A central question is whether multiple objects can be prioritized simultaneously. To answer this, we let observers search for two colored targets among distractors. Crucially, we independently varied the number of target colors that observers anticipated, and the number of target colors actually used to distinguish the targets in the display. This enabled us to dissociate the preparation of selection mechanisms from the actual engagement of such mechanisms. Multivariate classification of electroencephalographic activity allowed us to track selection of each target separately across time. The results revealed only small neural and behavioral costs associated with preparing for selecting two objects, but substantial costs when engaging in selection. Further analyses suggest this cost is the consequence of neural competition resulting in limited parallel processing, rather than a serial bottleneck. The findings bridge diverging theoretical perspectives on capacity limitations of feature-based attention.

Pubmed ID: 31453807

Research resources used in this publication

None found

Antibodies used in this publication

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Associated grants

  • Agency: Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, International
    Id: 464-13-003
  • Agency: H2020 European Research Council, International
    Id: ERC-2013-CoG-615423

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MATLAB (tool)

RRID:SCR_001622

Multi paradigm numerical computing environment and fourth generation programming language developed by MathWorks. Allows matrix manipulations, plotting of functions and data, implementation of algorithms, creation of user interfaces, and interfacing with programs written in other languages, including C, C++, Java, Fortran and Python. Used to explore and visualize ideas and collaborate across disciplines including signal and image processing, communications, control systems, and computational finance.

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OpenSesame (tool)

RRID:SCR_002849

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EEGLAB (tool)

RRID:SCR_007292

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Python Programming Language (tool)

RRID:SCR_008394

Programming language for all operating systems that lets users work more quickly and integrate their systems more effectively. Often compared to Tcl, Perl, Ruby, Scheme or Java. Some of its key distinguishing features include very clear and readable syntax, strong introspection capabilities, intuitive object orientation, natural expression of procedural code, full modularity, exception-based error handling, high level dynamic data types, extensive standard libraries and third party modules for virtually every task, extensions and modules easily written in C, C (or Java for Python, or .NET languages for IronPython), and embeddable within applications as a scripting interface.

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