Effects of Foveal Load on Peripheral Sensitivity in the Visual Field.

摘要

The main objective of this research was to investigate the effects of foveal load on sensitivity in the peripheral visual field. In the first of a series of four experiments, foveal load was manipulated by comparing the fixation of a cross vs. a simple first-order compensatory tracking task display. Peripheral sensitivity was determined simultaneously for light flashes presented at different eccentricities along the horizontal meridian. In general, the results showed no losses in peripheral sensitivity or a 'tunnel vision' effect under the experimental conditions employed. In the three subsequent experiments, more complex tracking tasks were employed in order to vary foveal load. The difficulty of the perimetry task has also been manipulated in the fourth experiment by including lights on the vertical, as well as the horizontal meridian. Whether or not a loss or a gain in peripheral sensitivity was obtained depended upon the complexity of the foveal task and to some extent the difficulty of the perimetry task. Results are discussed in terms of arousal and resource theory, and recommendations are made for future research in this area. Keywords: Foveal load, Peripheral vision, Tracking, Perimetry workload, Vision. (kt)