Visual Searches

Assignment 1: Discussion—Visual Searches

You probably notice every day that some
objects in the environment are easier to notice than other objects. For
example, workers at sports stadiums often wear bright yellow shirts,
which are very easy to see. While the crowd may blend in together, the
workers are prominent and are easy to notice when you want a drink or
something to eat. In this assignment, you will further explore how
people engage in visual searches and what features of a stimulus make a
search easier.

Think of a time when you had to locate
someone in a crowd, such as a participant in a parade, a friend in a
packed theater, or a runner in a marathon. Based on your experience,
respond to the following:

• Were you successful in locating the person? What strategy did you use?
• Did your search make use of the pop-out effect? How?
  If not, how might using the pop-out effect have resulted in a
  successful or quicker search?
• Did you conduct a conjunctive search? If yes, how did the number of distracters and features affect your search?
• Using the principles you have read about in this
  module, how would you make material in a long e-mail stand out in order
  to ensure that the reader notices it?

Visual searches are also very important in
warnings. Warnings need to stand out from their background. The warning
must first be noticed, then read and understood. For example, a stick
figure could be performing an ambiguous action and have an “X” through
it. You therefore understand that while you are not supposed to perform
some action, you do not understand what that action actually is.

Give two examples of a poor warning. Did you
understand them? Why did you have difficulties with them? What features
could be modified to make the warnings more effective?

Write your initial response in 4–5 paragraphs. Apply APA standards to citation of sources.

By Saturday, August 3, 2013, post your response to the appropriate Discussion Area. Through Wednesday, August 7, 2013, review and comment on at least two peers’ responses.

Discussion Grading Criteria and Rubric

This discussion assignment is worth 40 points and will be graded using the discussion rubric.

For
assistance with any problems you may have when completing this
assignment—OR—to offer your assistance to classmates, please use the Problems and Solutions Discussion area located through the left side navigation link.