How Do People Perform an Inspection Time Task? An Examination of Visual Illusions, Task Experience, and Blinking
In the inspection time (IT) paradigm, participants view two lines of unequal length (called the Pi-figure) for a short exposure time, and then judge which of the two lines was longer. Early research has interpreted IT as a simple index of mental speed, which does not involve motor activity. However,...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Ubiquity Press
2020-09-01
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| Series: | Journal of Cognition |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.journalofcognition.org/articles/123 |
| _version_ | 1818528739475062784 |
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| author | Yke Bauke Eisma Joost de Winter |
| author_facet | Yke Bauke Eisma Joost de Winter |
| author_sort | Yke Bauke Eisma |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In the inspection time (IT) paradigm, participants view two lines of unequal length (called the Pi-figure) for a short exposure time, and then judge which of the two lines was longer. Early research has interpreted IT as a simple index of mental speed, which does not involve motor activity. However, more recent studies have associated IT with higher-level cognitive mechanisms, including focused attention, task experience, and the strategic use of visual illusions. The extent to which these factors affect IT is still a source of debate. We used an eye-tracker to capture participants’ ('N' = 147) visual attention while performing IT trials. Results showed that blinking was time-dependent, with participants blinking less when the Pi-figure was visible as compared to before and after. Blinking during the presentation of the Pi-figure correlated negatively with response accuracy. Also, participants who reported seeing a brightness illusion had a higher response accuracy than those who did not. The first experiment was repeated with new participants ('N' = 159), enhanced task instructions, and the inclusion of practice trials. Results showed substantially improved response accuracy compared to the first experiment, and no significant difference in response accuracy between those who did and did not report illusions. IT response accuracy correlated modestly ('r' = 0.18) with performance on a short Raven’s advanced progressive matrices task. In conclusion, performance at the IT task is affected by task familiarity and involves motor activity in the form of blinking. Visual illusions may be an epiphenomenon of understanding the IT task. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T06:53:55Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-eaef3ec364a74d30967328cee64f3d14 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2514-4820 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T06:53:55Z |
| publishDate | 2020-09-01 |
| publisher | Ubiquity Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Cognition |
| spelling | doaj.art-eaef3ec364a74d30967328cee64f3d142022-12-22T01:16:50ZengUbiquity PressJournal of Cognition2514-48202020-09-013110.5334/joc.123137How Do People Perform an Inspection Time Task? An Examination of Visual Illusions, Task Experience, and BlinkingYke Bauke Eisma0Joost de Winter1Delft University of Technology, DelftDelft University of Technology, DelftIn the inspection time (IT) paradigm, participants view two lines of unequal length (called the Pi-figure) for a short exposure time, and then judge which of the two lines was longer. Early research has interpreted IT as a simple index of mental speed, which does not involve motor activity. However, more recent studies have associated IT with higher-level cognitive mechanisms, including focused attention, task experience, and the strategic use of visual illusions. The extent to which these factors affect IT is still a source of debate. We used an eye-tracker to capture participants’ ('N' = 147) visual attention while performing IT trials. Results showed that blinking was time-dependent, with participants blinking less when the Pi-figure was visible as compared to before and after. Blinking during the presentation of the Pi-figure correlated negatively with response accuracy. Also, participants who reported seeing a brightness illusion had a higher response accuracy than those who did not. The first experiment was repeated with new participants ('N' = 159), enhanced task instructions, and the inclusion of practice trials. Results showed substantially improved response accuracy compared to the first experiment, and no significant difference in response accuracy between those who did and did not report illusions. IT response accuracy correlated modestly ('r' = 0.18) with performance on a short Raven’s advanced progressive matrices task. In conclusion, performance at the IT task is affected by task familiarity and involves motor activity in the form of blinking. Visual illusions may be an epiphenomenon of understanding the IT task.https://www.journalofcognition.org/articles/123attentionresponse accuracyresponse speed |
| spellingShingle | Yke Bauke Eisma Joost de Winter How Do People Perform an Inspection Time Task? An Examination of Visual Illusions, Task Experience, and Blinking Journal of Cognition attention response accuracy response speed |
| title | How Do People Perform an Inspection Time Task? An Examination of Visual Illusions, Task Experience, and Blinking |
| title_full | How Do People Perform an Inspection Time Task? An Examination of Visual Illusions, Task Experience, and Blinking |
| title_fullStr | How Do People Perform an Inspection Time Task? An Examination of Visual Illusions, Task Experience, and Blinking |
| title_full_unstemmed | How Do People Perform an Inspection Time Task? An Examination of Visual Illusions, Task Experience, and Blinking |
| title_short | How Do People Perform an Inspection Time Task? An Examination of Visual Illusions, Task Experience, and Blinking |
| title_sort | how do people perform an inspection time task an examination of visual illusions task experience and blinking |
| topic | attention response accuracy response speed |
| url | https://www.journalofcognition.org/articles/123 |
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