Chui Yuk Lan. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1999. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 81-84). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / ABSTRACT(ENGLISH AND CHINESE VERSION) --- p.ii / ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS --- p.iv / TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.v / LIST OF TABLES --- p.viii / LIST OF FIGURES --- p.xi / LIST OF APPENDICES --- p.xiii / Chapter CHAPTER I - --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Weak Central Coherence Theory --- p.1 / Superior Spatial Hypothesis --- p.4 / Superior Segmentation Hypothesis --- p.4 / Global Precedence Hypothesis --- p.5 / Perceptual Span Hypothesis --- p.5 / Main Study-Global and Local Processing Study --- p.6 / Eye Movement Study --- p.10 / Purposes of the Present Study --- p.11 / Chapter CHAPTER II - --- GLOBAL-LOCAL PROCESSING STUDY: METHOD --- p.12 / Participants --- p.12 / Apparatus and Setting --- p.12 / Stimuli --- p.13 / Design and Procedure --- p.14 / Chapter CHAPTER III - --- GLOBAL-LOCAL PROCESSING STUDY: RESULTS --- p.19 / Age and IQ --- p.19 / Speed-Accuracy Trade Off --- p.19 / Performance Indices --- p.19 / Analyses Testing Global Precedence Hypothesis --- p.21 / Analyses Testing Group Difference on Global/Local Precedence --- p.21 / Analyses Testing Group Difference on Global-To-Local Interference --- p.24 / Analyses Testing Group Difference on Local-To-Global Interference --- p.25 / Analyses Testing the Perceptual Span Hypothesis --- p.39 / Chapter CHAPTER IV - --- GLOBAL-LOCAL PROCESSING STUDY: DISCUSSION --- p.45 / Implications of Incompatible Findings with Pervious Studies --- p.45 / Implications of Partial Support of Global Precedence Hypothesis --- p.47 / Interpretation of Perceptual Span Hypothesis --- p.50 / Chapter CHAPTER V - --- EYE-MOVEMENT STUDY: METHOD --- p.51 / Participants --- p.51 / Materials --- p.51 / Apparatus --- p.56 / Design and Procedure --- p.56 / Chapter CHAPTER VI - --- EYE-MOVEMENT STUDY: RESULTS --- p.62 / Age and IQ --- p.62 / Number of Objects Found in Object Search Tasks --- p.62 / Total Number of Fixations --- p.62 / Fixation Duration --- p.62 / Distance of Fixations --- p.66 / Fixations Located Outside the Screen --- p.66 / Fixations Located Within the Screen but Outside the Designated Areas --- p.66 / Number of Fixations Located Inside the Designated Areas --- p.67 / Chapter CHAPTER VII - --- EYE-MOVEMENT STUDY: DISCUSSION --- p.73 / Implications of Eye-Movement Patterns --- p.73 / Possible Explanations for Eye-Movement Patterns --- p.74 / Speculation of Faster Information Processing --- p.74 / Chapter CHAPTER VIII - --- GENERAL DISCUSSION --- p.76 / Possible Explanations of Global-Local Processing Findings --- p.76 / Relations to the Weak Central Coherence Theory --- p.77 / Limitations and Suggestions --- p.79 / REFERENCES --- p.81 / APPENDICES --- p.85