The impact of different distractions on outdoor visual search and object memory

Abstract

We investigated whether and how different types of search distractions affect visual search behavior and target memory while participants searched in a real-world environment. They searched either undistracted (control condition), listened to a podcast (auditory distraction), counted down aloud at intervals of three while searching (executive working memory load), or were forced to stop the search on half of the trials (time pressure). In line with findings from laboratory settings, participants searched longer but made fewer errors when the target was absent than when it was present, regardless of distraction condition. Furthermore, compared to the auditory distraction condition, the executive working memory load led to higher error rates (but not longer search times). In a surprise memory test after the end of the search tasks, recognition was better for previously present targets than for absent targets. Again, this was regardless of the previous distraction condition, although significantly fewer targets were remembered by the participants in the executive working memory load condition than by those in the control condition. The findings suggest that executive working memory load, but likely not auditory distraction and time pressure affected visual search performance and target memory in a real-world environment.

Figure 1

Panoramic view of the first location “Psychology Building” with the respective present targets, as well as their position marked, height, width, and distance to the participant.

Figure 2

Procedure of two trials in the time pressure condition at the location “University Library” as presented on the tablet screen. The first target is absent, which is why (only in the time pressure condition) a trial abortion would occur after 9 to 13 s. The second target is present, and therefore the target display is presented until manual response.

Figure 3

(a) Errors in the search task (%), (b) Response times (ms), (c) Object recognition (%), (d) Location recall (%) divided by distraction condition (C control condition, AD auditory distraction condition, EWM executive working memory load condition, TP time pressure condition), as well as target presence. Error bars represent 95% confidence intervals^,. Circles mark individual participants.