Abstract
We report multiple experiments examining how task set influences scan paths and inhibition of return (IOR) during scene viewing when the scene expands during viewing (Experiment 1), changes location during viewing (Experiment 2), or rotates during viewing (Experiment 3). It has been previously established that task instruction influences scanpaths and IOR when viewing static scenes. During visual search, individuals are less likely to refixate previously viewed locations and are slower to look at probes at previously viewed locations relative to novel locations. When the task instruction emphasizes memorization, pleasantness rating, or free-viewing, however, the opposite pattern of results is observed, with individuals faster to return to previously viewed locations, suggesting that the influence of memory on eye movements is task dependent. It has not yet been determined, however, how task set and memory influence scanpaths and IOR in tasks which are more akin to real world scene viewing. We provide evidence that various dynamic scene manipulations interact with task set in a manner that alters the influence of memory and the likelihood of observing IOR, with implications for understanding the spatial reference frame of scene-based IOR.