Description
The label-feedback hypothesis (Lupyan, 2007) proposes that language can modulate low- and high-level visual processing, such as “priming” a visual object. Lupyan and Swingley (2012) found that repeating target names facilitates visual search, resulting in shorter reaction times (RTs)

The label-feedback hypothesis (Lupyan, 2007) proposes that language can modulate low- and high-level visual processing, such as “priming” a visual object. Lupyan and Swingley (2012) found that repeating target names facilitates visual search, resulting in shorter reaction times (RTs) and higher accuracy. However, a design limitation made their results challenging to assess. This study evaluated whether self-directed speech influences target locating (i.e. attentional guidance) or target identification after location (i.e. decision time), testing whether the Label Feedback Effect reflects changes in visual attention or some other mechanism (e.g. template maintenance in working memory). Across three experiments, search RTs and eye movements were analyzed from four within-subject conditions. People spoke target names, nonwords, irrelevant (absent) object names, or irrelevant (present) object names. Speaking target names weakly facilitates visual search, but speaking different names strongly inhibits search. The most parsimonious account is that language affects target maintenance during search, rather than visual perception.
Reuse Permissions
  • Downloads
    PDF (1.8 MB)

    Details

    Title
    • Eye movements and the label feedback effect: speaking modulates visual search, but probably not visual perception
    Contributors
    Date Created
    2016
    Resource Type
  • Text
  • Collections this item is in
    Note
    • thesis
      Partial requirement for: M.A., Arizona State University, 2016
    • bibliography
      Includes bibliographical references (pages 27-29)
    • Field of study: Psychology

    Citation and reuse

    Statement of Responsibility

    by Katherine P. Hebert

    Machine-readable links