Perceptual organization and attention

The chapter develops the theme that the concept of perceptual object and the rules of grouping and organization are essential to describe the abilities and limitations of selective attention. Attention can only be directed to preattentively defined perceptual objects, and it facilitates all the responses associated with properties or elements of the selected object. Evidence is presented from studies of the Stroop task, effects of visual grouping on recall, search and selective attention in tachistoscopic displays, and the visual and auditory suffix effects. A theoretical analysis of perceptual objects is outlined, in which perceptual identity is distinguished from the process of identification.