Eye movements during change detection: implications for search constraints, memory limitations, and scanning strategies

Search, memory, and strategy constraints on change detection were analyzed in terms of oculomotor variables. Observers viewed a repeating sequence of three displays (Scene 1-->Mask-->Scene 2-->Mask...) and indicated the presence-absence of a changing object between Scenes 1 and 2. Scenes depicted real-world objects arranged on a surface. Manipulations included set size (one, three, or nine items) and the orientation of the changing objects (similar or different). Eye movements increased with the number of potentially changing objects in the scene, with this set size effect suggesting a relationship between change detection and search. A preferential fixation analysis determined that memory constraints are better described by the operation comparing the pre- and postchange objects than as a capacity limitation, and a scanpath analysis revealed a change detection strategy relying on the peripheral encoding and comparison of display items. These findings support a signal-in-noise interpretation of change detection in which the signal varies with the similarity of the changing objects and the noise is determined by the distractor objects and scene background.