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. 1998 Aug 29;353(1373):1271–1281. doi: 10.1098/rstb.1998.0282

A computational theory of visual attention.

C Bundesen 1
PMCID: PMC1692331  PMID: 9770221

Abstract

A computational theory of visual attention is presented. The basic theory (TVA) combines the biased-choice model for single-stimulus recognition with the fixed-capacity independent race model (FIRM) for selection from multi-element displays. TVA organizes a large body of experimental findings on performance in visual recognition and attention tasks. A recent development (CTVA) combines TVA with a theory of perceptual grouping by proximity. CTVA explains effects of perceptual grouping and spatial distance between items in multi-element displays. A new account of spatial focusing is proposed in this paper. The account provides a framework for understanding visual search as an interplay between serial and parallel processes.

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Selected References

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