Components of visual bias: a multiplicative hypothesis

TY - JOUR

T1 - Components of visual bias

T2 - a multiplicative hypothesis

AU - Bundesen, Claus

AU - Vangkilde, Signe Allerup

AU - Habekost, Thomas

PY - 2015/3/1

Y1 - 2015/3/1

N2 - Attentional selection can be viewed as having two aspects: selection with respect to particular objects and selection with respect to particular categories. Both aspects are mathematically modeled in the theory of visual attention (TVA). In this paper, we expand the rate equation of the TVA and propose that the visual bias toward seeing an object x as a member of category i is a product of three factors: the expectancy (prior probability) of being presented with members of category i, the subjective importance (utility) of seeing objects in category i as members of that category, and the general level of alertness. Together, the three factors also determine the level of arousal in the visual system. The hypothesized multiplicative interaction between the three components of visual bias seems consistent with the function of an ideal observer and also paves the way for a Bayesian interpretation of the TVA.

AB - Attentional selection can be viewed as having two aspects: selection with respect to particular objects and selection with respect to particular categories. Both aspects are mathematically modeled in the theory of visual attention (TVA). In this paper, we expand the rate equation of the TVA and propose that the visual bias toward seeing an object x as a member of category i is a product of three factors: the expectancy (prior probability) of being presented with members of category i, the subjective importance (utility) of seeing objects in category i as members of that category, and the general level of alertness. Together, the three factors also determine the level of arousal in the visual system. The hypothesized multiplicative interaction between the three components of visual bias seems consistent with the function of an ideal observer and also paves the way for a Bayesian interpretation of the TVA.

KW - Faculty of Social Sciences

KW - visual attention

KW - perceptual bias

KW - feature-based attention

KW - Bayesian theory

KW - TVA

U2 - 10.1111/nyas.12665

DO - 10.1111/nyas.12665

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 25675882

SN - 0077-8923

VL - 1339

SP - 116

EP - 124

JO - Annals of The Lyceum of Natural History of New York

JF - Annals of The Lyceum of Natural History of New York

ER -