Repetition Blindness Activity

Repetition blindness is the failure to detect a repeated item in a series of rapidly presented items (Kanwisher, 1987). Kanwisher (1987) theorized that while an item can be accurately identified multiple times within a very short time frame (type recognition), the ability to anchor that instance of viewing the item in time and space is overwhelmed and fails under time pressure (token individuation). In other words, your brain can “see” the item, but because your brain cannot determine where and when the item appeared the item is not “perceived.” Think about it this way: if you didn’t know this piece of paper was in your hands at 6:00pm on Monday, could you perceive it?
For this activity, the entire group at once will participate in a Repetition Blindness experiment.
1. Arrange yourself around the computer screen so everyone can view it comfortable. One person will need to sit at the computer in order to press the buttons to advance the trials.
2. In DirectRT, click on “File” and then “Select and run input file”. Double-click on “LabRBTask.”
3. No values need to be inputted for “Subject ID”, “Condition” or “Range”. You might see a warning box pop up that asks if you want to replace existing data, just hit “Yes”.
4. Read the on screen instructions and press the “OK” button when everyone is ready.
5. Proceed through the trials, writing your answer on the chart provided until you get to the end.
6. The task will stop abruptly and return to a black screen.
7. A list of the actual number of targets will be provided on CLEW by Tuesday.
References
Kanwisher, N. G. (1987). Repetition blindness: Type recognition without token individuation. Cognition, 27(2), 117-143. doi:10.1016/0010-0277(87)90016-3
Target Letter Perceived Number of Targets
Actual Number of Targets
Person (1) age 21
Person (2) age 20 Person 3
Age 27 Person 4
Age 22
1 D 1 1 2 1
2 C 1 1 2 2
3 Y 1 1 1 2
4 C 1 2 2 3
5 Z 0 0 0 1
6 P 1 1 1 1
7 W 1 1 1 1
8 O 1 1 1 1
9 R 1 0 1 1
10 N 0 0 0 2
11 P 1 1 1 2
12 M 2 2 2 2
13 X 1 2 1 3
14 X 1 1 1 2
15 Z 1 2 1 2
16 T 0 1 0 1
17 R 2 2 2 2
18 G 1 1 1 3
19 C 3 3 3 1
20 H 1 1 1 1
21 T 1 1 1 2
22 K 2 2 2 3
23 S 1 1 1 2
24 B 1 1 1 3
25 P 2 2 2 3
26 S 2 2 2 3
27 N 2 2 2 3
28 E 0 0 0 3
29 J 2 2 2 3
30 N 2 2 2 1

Write-up process of this experiment and the report must include
1. Introduction
2. Methods section
3. Results (including table or graph as assigned)
4. Discussions