Review by Choice Review
Mack and the late Irvin Rock collaborated for nearly a decade on a program of research concerning the role of attention in perception. In this book, these highly respected and widely published researchers present a summary and analysis of a long series of studies that employed novel strategies to expose people to stimuli while their attention was directed elsewhere. The general conclusion is that there can be no conscious perception without attention. If true, this conclusion renders the term "preattentive perception" an oxymoron. It also demands a rethinking of the popular "pop out" paradigm in visual search. Although the writing is not highly technical, full understanding requires some background in visual science. A lucid writing style together with useful illustrations have produced a very readable work. This reviewer knows of no comparable work. Combined subject and author index. Upper-division undergraduates and above. R. H. Cormack; New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
