Staff

Publication details for Professor John Findlay

Findlay, J.M. (2005). Covert attention and saccadic eye movements. In Neurobiology of Attention. Itti, L., Rees, G. & Tsotsos, J. London New York: Academic Press. 114-117.

• Publication type: Books: sections
• ISSN/ISBN: 9780123757319, 0123757312
• Keywords: eye movements; saccade; covert visual attention; overt visual attention;
• View online: Online version
• Durham research online: DRO record

Author(s) from Durham

• Professor John Findlay

Abstract

In normal vision the eyes make overt saccadic eye movements several times each second. We have a good understanding of how saccadic targets are selected, particularly in visual search and in reading. Visual processing is enhanced at the saccade destination before the movement itself occurs and this peripheral preview assists the smooth uptake of visual information. Thus covert attention to locations in space operates as a supplementary process to assist active vision. Situations outside the laboratory in which covert attention acts as a substitute process without eye movements occurring are unusual.