Abstract #0168

Baudewig J, Holz P, Treue S, Dechent P, Morawetz C

Different models have been proposed to account for the distribution of attentional resources in visual space: zoom lens, single spotlight, and multiple spotlights theory. The present study aimed at the verification of previous reported findings that the attentional spotlight can be split among multiple, spatially separated locations. Subjects had to deploy their attention either to a single peripheral location or two non-contiguous regions performing a match/mismatch judgement. Contrasting the two attentional tasks in all subjects increased activation was observed in the defined ROIs, intervening (fovea) and task-irrelevant regions. Our findings support the classical view of a single spotlight of attention.