Pre-saccadic Attention (and not Arousal) modulates the Size-Eccentricity Effect
Abstract Peripherally located objects are often perceived to be smaller than centrally located objects. This perceptual phenomenon, known as the Size-Eccentricity Effect (SEE), is mainly due to the structural properties of the visual system and is further modulated by covert attention. In this study...
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Nature Portfolio
2025-08-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-13968-3 |
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| author | Jad Laaboudi Anne Hillairet de Boisferon Céline Paeye |
| author_facet | Jad Laaboudi Anne Hillairet de Boisferon Céline Paeye |
| author_sort | Jad Laaboudi |
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| description | Abstract Peripherally located objects are often perceived to be smaller than centrally located objects. This perceptual phenomenon, known as the Size-Eccentricity Effect (SEE), is mainly due to the structural properties of the visual system and is further modulated by covert attention. In this study, we evaluated whether pre-saccadic attention could also compensate for this effect. Participants performed a judgment task where they compared a test disk of varying size, briefly presented in peripheral vision, to a reference disk appearing 450 ms later in foveal vision. When no saccade was made towards the location of the test disk, the SEE was observed. However, when participants initiated saccades about 200 ms after the test disk extinction, points of subjective equality were close to objective equality. The second experiment aimed at excluding an explanation involving non-specific arousal mechanisms, also known to enhance visual perception. Participants executed a keypress or an antisaccade instead of a saccade. The SEE disappeared only in the saccade condition, confirming the crucial role of pre-saccadic attention shifts in this SEE compensation. Therefore, pre-saccadic attention improves not only the processing of orientation, contrast and spatial frequency (as previously demonstrated), but also the processing of peripheral object size. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-c84703d2c44c4dc390a3d863ac757018 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
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| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-c84703d2c44c4dc390a3d863ac7570182025-08-24T11:22:39ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-08-0115111210.1038/s41598-025-13968-3Pre-saccadic Attention (and not Arousal) modulates the Size-Eccentricity EffectJad Laaboudi0Anne Hillairet de Boisferon1Céline Paeye2Université Paris Cité, Vision Action CognitionUniversité Paris Cité, Vision Action CognitionUniversité Paris Cité, Vision Action CognitionAbstract Peripherally located objects are often perceived to be smaller than centrally located objects. This perceptual phenomenon, known as the Size-Eccentricity Effect (SEE), is mainly due to the structural properties of the visual system and is further modulated by covert attention. In this study, we evaluated whether pre-saccadic attention could also compensate for this effect. Participants performed a judgment task where they compared a test disk of varying size, briefly presented in peripheral vision, to a reference disk appearing 450 ms later in foveal vision. When no saccade was made towards the location of the test disk, the SEE was observed. However, when participants initiated saccades about 200 ms after the test disk extinction, points of subjective equality were close to objective equality. The second experiment aimed at excluding an explanation involving non-specific arousal mechanisms, also known to enhance visual perception. Participants executed a keypress or an antisaccade instead of a saccade. The SEE disappeared only in the saccade condition, confirming the crucial role of pre-saccadic attention shifts in this SEE compensation. Therefore, pre-saccadic attention improves not only the processing of orientation, contrast and spatial frequency (as previously demonstrated), but also the processing of peripheral object size.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-13968-3Size-eccentricity effectAttentionAction-perceptionSaccadeArousal |
| spellingShingle | Jad Laaboudi Anne Hillairet de Boisferon Céline Paeye Pre-saccadic Attention (and not Arousal) modulates the Size-Eccentricity Effect Scientific Reports Size-eccentricity effect Attention Action-perception Saccade Arousal |
| title | Pre-saccadic Attention (and not Arousal) modulates the Size-Eccentricity Effect |
| title_full | Pre-saccadic Attention (and not Arousal) modulates the Size-Eccentricity Effect |
| title_fullStr | Pre-saccadic Attention (and not Arousal) modulates the Size-Eccentricity Effect |
| title_full_unstemmed | Pre-saccadic Attention (and not Arousal) modulates the Size-Eccentricity Effect |
| title_short | Pre-saccadic Attention (and not Arousal) modulates the Size-Eccentricity Effect |
| title_sort | pre saccadic attention and not arousal modulates the size eccentricity effect |
| topic | Size-eccentricity effect Attention Action-perception Saccade Arousal |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-13968-3 |
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