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Why do we miss rare targets? Exploring the boundaries of the low prevalence effect
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Rich, Anina N., Kunar, Melina A., Van Wert, Michael J., Hidalgo-Sotelo, Barbara, Horowitz, Todd S. and Wolfe, Jeremy M. (2008) Why do we miss rare targets? Exploring the boundaries of the low prevalence effect. Journal of Vision, Vol.8 (No.15). p. 15. doi:10.1167/8.15.15 ISSN 1534-7362.
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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1167/8.15.15
Abstract
Observers tend to miss a disproportionate number of targets in visual search tasks with rare targets. This 'prevalence effect' may have practical significance since many screening tasks (e.g., airport security, medical screening) are low prevalence searches. It may also shed light on the rules used to terminate search when a target is not found. Here, we use perceptually simple stimuli to explore the sources of this effect. Experiment 1 shows a prevalence effect in inefficient spatial configuration search. Experiment 2 demonstrates this effect occurs even in a highly efficient feature search. However, the two prevalence effects differ. In spatial configuration search, misses seem to result from ending the search prematurely, while in feature search, they seem due to response errors. In Experiment 3, a minimum delay before response eliminated the prevalence effect for feature but not spatial configuration search. In Experiment 4, a target was present on each trial in either two (2AFC) or four (4AFC) orientations. With only two response alternatives, low prevalence produced elevated errors. Providing four response alternatives eliminated this effect. Low target prevalence puts searchers under pressure that tends to increase miss errors. We conclude that the specific source of those errors depends on the nature of the search.
Item Type: | Journal Article | ||||
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Subjects: | B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology R Medicine > RE Ophthalmology |
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Divisions: | Faculty of Science, Engineering and Medicine > Science > Psychology | ||||
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH): | Visual perception, Eye -- Movements, Searching behavior | ||||
Journal or Publication Title: | Journal of Vision | ||||
Publisher: | Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology | ||||
ISSN: | 1534-7362 | ||||
Official Date: | 24 November 2008 | ||||
Dates: |
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Volume: | Vol.8 | ||||
Number: | No.15 | ||||
Number of Pages: | 17 | ||||
Page Range: | p. 15 | ||||
DOI: | 10.1167/8.15.15 | ||||
Status: | Peer Reviewed | ||||
Publication Status: | Published | ||||
Access rights to Published version: | Restricted or Subscription Access | ||||
Funder: | United States. Department of Homeland Security. Transportation Security Laboratory Human Factors Program, United States. Air Force. Office of Scientific Research, National Health and Medical Research Council (Australia), Menzies Foundation, National Science Foundation (U.S.) (NSF) | ||||
Grant number: | 359244 (NSF) |
Data sourced from Thomson Reuters' Web of Knowledge
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