Spatial attention speeds discrimination without awareness in blindsight.

Kentridge, R. W.; Heywood, C. A.; Weiskrantz, L.

Abstract

An intimate relationship is often assumed between visual attention and visual awareness. Using a subject, patient GY, with the neurological condition of ‘blindsight’ we show that although attention may be a necessary precursor to visual awareness it is not a sufficient one. Using a Posner endogenous spatial cueing paradigm we showed that the time our subject needed to discriminate the orientation of a stimulus was reduced if he was cued to the location of the stimulus. This reaction-time advantage was obtained without any decrease in discrimination accuracy and cannot therefore be attributed to speed-error trade-off or differences in bias between cued and uncued locations. As a result of his condition GY was not aware of the stimuli to which processing was attentionally facilitated. Attention cannot, therefore be a sufficient condition for awareness.

Citation

Kentridge, R. W., Heywood, C. A., & Weiskrantz, L. (2004). Spatial attention speeds discrimination without awareness in blindsight. Neuropsychologia, 42(6), 831-835. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2003.11.001

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Online Publication Date: Feb 19, 2004
• Publication Date: 2004
• Journal: Neuropsychologia
• Print ISSN: 0028-3932
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 42
• Issue: 6
• Pages: 831-835
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2003.11.001
• Keywords: Vision, Attention, Consciousness, Blindsight.
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1572556