Keywords
quitting threshold; target prevalence; visual working memory; signal detection
Abstract
In target-absent visual search, individuals must determine when to quit their search. Previous work suggests that a quitting threshold, which is influenced by target prevalence and the individual’s visual working memory (VWM) capacity, dictates if the individual is likely to continue searching or if they will quit. Low target prevalence, relative to high target prevalence search, results in a decreased quitting threshold, fewer distractors fixated, and a decreased distractor dwell time. Given that nearly all previous investigations of search prevalence used targets held in long-term memory (LTM), and differences in search performance are evident between VWM and LTM targets, the current study asked participants to search for targets held in VWM or LTM at low and high target prevalences. Replicating prior work, we found that the quitting threshold at low prevalence was significantly lower than high prevalence both in LTM and VWM conditions. Furthermore, the quitting threshold of VWM was significantly lower than LTM irrespective of target prevalence. Despite Bayesian analyses suggesting that memory system and target prevalence failed to interact, signal detection analyses suggest that each memory system produces its own sensitivity and criterion, and the quitting threshold is affected by where the targets are held.
Thesis Completion Year
2025
Thesis Completion Semester
Fall
Thesis Chair
Schmidt, Joseph
College
College of Sciences
Department
Psychology
Thesis Discipline
Psychology
Language
English
Access Status
Campus Access
Length of Campus Access
3 years
Campus Location
Orlando (Main) Campus
STARS Citation
Collins, Younha A., "The Quitting Threshold of Visual Working Memory Targets is Lower Than Long Term Memory Targets" (2025). Honors Undergraduate Theses. 399.
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/hut2024/399
Rights Statement
