Abstract
Visual attention can select spatial locations, features and objects. Theories of object-based attention claim that attention enhances the representation of all parts of an object, even parts that are not task relevant. We recorded neuronal activity in area V1 of macaque monkeys and observed an automatic spread of attention to image elements outside of the attentional focus when they were bound to an attended stimulus by Gestalt criteria.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 12 print issues and online access
$209.00 per year
only $17.42 per issue
Rent or buy this article
Prices vary by article type
from$1.95
to$39.95
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Wertheimer, M. Psychol. Forsch. 4, 301–350 (1923).
Treisman, A.M. & Gelade, G. Cognit. Psychol. 12, 97–136 (1980).
Duncan, J. J. Exp. Psychol. Gen. 113, 501–517 (1984).
Egly, R., Driver, J. & Rafal, R.D. J. Exp. Psychol. Gen. 123, 161–177 (1994).
Driver, J., Davis, G., Russell, C., Turatto, M. & Freeman, E. Cognition 80, 61–95 (2001).
Roelfsema, P.R., Lamme, V.A. & Spekreijse, H. Nature 395, 376–381 (1998).
Wannig, A., Rodriguez, V. & Freiwald, W.A. Neuron 54, 639–651 (2007).
Shomstein, S. & Yantis, S. Percept. Psychophys. 64, 41–51 (2002).
Lamy, D. & Egeth, H. Percept. Psychophys. 64, 52–66 (2002).
Richard, A.M., Lee, H. & Vecera, S.P. J. Exp. Psychol. Hum. Percept. Perform. 34, 842–853 (2008).
Hoffman, J.E. & Subramaniam, B. Percept. Psychophys. 57, 787–795 (1995).
Connor, C.E., Preddie, D.C., Gallant, J.L. & Van Essen, D.C. J. Neurosci. 17, 3201–3214 (1997).
Martinez-Trujillo, J.C. & Treue, S. Curr. Biol. 14, 744–751 (2004).
Li, W., Piech, V. & Gilbert, C.D. Neuron 50, 951–962 (2006).
Freeman, E., Sagi, D. & Driver, J. Nat. Neurosci. 4, 1032–1036 (2001).
Acknowledgements
We thank J. Poort, B. Dagnino, B. van Vugt and J. Fecteau for additional data collection, and K. Brandsma and D. Vleesenbeek for biotechnical support. This work was supported by NWO-ALW grant 816.02.018 and by an NWO-VICI grant 016.075.608 awarded to P.R.R.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Contributions
A.W. designed the stimuli, performed recordings, analyzed data and wrote the paper. L.S. designed the stimuli and performed recordings. P.R.R. conceived the project, supervised the data acquisition and analysis, and wrote the paper.
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Competing interests
The authors declare no competing financial interests.
Supplementary information
Supplementary Text and Figures
Supplementary Figures 1–6, Supplementary Results, Supplementary Methods and Supplementary Discussion (PDF 671 kb)
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Wannig, A., Stanisor, L. & Roelfsema, P. Automatic spread of attentional response modulation along Gestalt criteria in primary visual cortex. Nat Neurosci 14, 1243–1244 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1038/nn.2910
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nn.2910
This article is cited by
-
From cognitive maps to spatial schemas
Nature Reviews Neuroscience (2023)
-
Awareness-independent gradual spread of object-based attention
Current Psychology (2022)
-
Attentional selection and illusory surface appearance
Scientific Reports (2019)
-
Priming effects on the perceived grouping of ambiguous dot patterns
Psychological Research (2015)
-
Common mechanisms of human perceptual and motor learning
Nature Reviews Neuroscience (2012)