A dual task analysis of controlled and automatic detection

The secondary task methodology was used to measure the resource demands of controlled and automatic detection. Subjects were required to perform e secondary task of locating a flickering light together with a primary task of visual letter detection. Secondary task performance was lower when combined with the search task than in corresponding single channel control conditions. In addition, this decrement was approximately the same for both controlled End automatic detection. Similarl , both controlled and automatic detection lztencies were increased in the presence of the secondary task and by the same amount. Controlled and automatic detection evidently share common resource demanding components.