Real-world Statistical Regularity Impacts Inattentional Blindness

Abstract

Does the likelihood of us experiencing inattentional blindness depend on whether the scenes are statistically regular (e.g., probable) or not? Previous studies have shown that observers find it harder to perceive real-world statistical irregularities, such as improbable (statistically irregular) scenes (e.g., scenes unlikely to take place in the real world) as opposed to probable (statistically regular) scenes. Moreover, high inattentional blindness rates have been observed for improbable stimuli (e.g., a gorilla on a college campus). However, no one has directly compared noticing rates for probable and improbable scenes. Here we ask if people are more likely to experience inattentional blindness for improbable than probable scenes. In two large-scale experiments in which one group of participants is presented, on the critical trial, with a probable scene and the other group with an improbable scene, we observed higher rates of inattention blindness for participants receiving improbable scenes than those receiving probable scenes.