Children with and without autism were evaluated on two change detection tasks that entailed responding to 2 side-by-side images that were displayed on a computer screen. In Experiment 1, a distracter object that remained unchanged was displayed next to a target object that changed in 1 of 3 ways, a global position change, a color change, or a local deletion change. The stimuli consisted of photographs and drawings that were presented at blank intervals of either 50 or 250 ms. In Experiment 2, color and deletion changes were compared in photographs of objects and people. Children with autism were expected to demonstrate enhanced change detection across both experiments, as well as better detection of local than global changes, and superior processing of changes to objects compared to people. Across tasks, both groups performed comparably in change detection ability. Children with autism did not demonstrate enhanced visual detection, and evidenced similar patterns of visual discrimination compared to typically developing children. They also exhibited similar processing of changes to objects and people. Age was positively associated with improvements in change detection among both groups of children.

The goal of this thesis was to investigate the role of colour in visual selective attention. Previous experiments exploring this topic in tasks where location varied led to mixed results. Some studies only found evidence of colour as a guide to a specific location where selection then takes place (e.g., Nissen, 1985). Others reported an effect, but could not decide clearly if the benefit was due to direct selection of colour in perception (e.g., Humphreys, 1981). One major contributor to the inconsistencies of findings seems to be the confounding of colour and location in these tasks. For that reason the initial paradigm used here was a rapid serial visual presentation (RSVP) task. Previous studies using similar paradigms have found no evidence for direct selection by colour (Poder, 2001; Shih & Sperling, 1996), but in these studies advance colour information was of limited usefulness because it only reduced the set of candidate stimuli by half. To assess an effect of colour in selection similar to the one associated with location, in all experiments reported here valid colour information led to only one item, as is typical in location cuing tasks. The first RSVP experiment explored whether colour certainty improved performance over a colour uncertainty condition. Colour was the defining feature of the target participants had to discriminate. In one condition the target colour was certain; in the other it could be one of two colours. Performance was improved when participants could focus on one colour. Further experiments used colour not as a defining feature of the target but as additional information presented in the form of cues, similar to the typical use of location cues. The participants� task was to discriminate whether a target letter within the RSVP sequence appeared in its upper or lower case version, and an advance cue indicated the colour in which the target letter was most likely to occur. An accuracy benefit of valid colour information was found, supporting the hypothesis that colour cuing allows the direct selection of objects for further perceptual processing. In addition, an effect of invalid colour cues was also observed. Subsequent experiments investigated possible factors influencing the colour cuing effect. Together, task requirements and properties of the stimulus set were shown to have an influence on the effect size, whereas an increase in perceptual load had no impact. Furthermore, the colour cuing effect seems to be due partially to both automatic and strategic processes. In all these experimental variations, benefits of colour cuing remained, indicating that the effect is very robust. Colour cuing effects were also found in a design where location could vary, extending the previous findings from selection in the time domain to selection in space. The two last experiments investigated whether advance colour knowledge would also lead to a performance benefit in single item tasks. No effect of colour cuing was found, indicating that colour information is only helpful in multiple item displays when a selection of one target stimulus among distractor items is necessary.

This thesis explores 'problem sketching' as a means of dealing with socially constructed, complex human activity problems. It investigates how visualisation is used to facilitate the process of thinking about complex human problems. The most common and popular form of problem sketching appears to be 'rich pictures' as attributed to Checkland from the 1960s, as a part of Soft Systems Methodology (SSM). However, many users of rich picturing no longer consider it as only available to SSM users, rather it has become a stand-alone, if poorly defined, problem sketching method. Meanwhile, in the U.S., Churchman's (1950, 1968, 1971, 1975, 1979 and 1982) interpretation of systems thinking as multiple perspectival thinking has also been advocated by many writers as a useful approach to human activity problem solving. This approach does not seem to have an associated problem sketching method. This thesis therefore uses perspectival thinking as a frame to research problem sketching generally and rich pictures in particular. / First a review of the problem sketching, perspectival thinking and rich picturing literature was used to construct an 'issues table' to guide the interpretive empirical research. The first learning loop of this involved being a participatory observer in six managerial problem solving sessions where rich pictures were used. The second loop collected and analysed as many rich pictures as could be found (268) using the issues table derived from the literature. As the last learning loop, 32 semi-structured interviews were conducted with users who had a wide range of different industrial backgrounds and levels of experience with rich picturing. / The research found no universal design of rich picture, including any explicit application of perspectival thinking in the picturing process. The picture analysis and interviews suggested that systems concepts such as stakeholders, their concerns and their inter-relationships were commonly incorporated while other systems concepts such as boundary and purpose were rarely incorporated. In addition, it was found that the designers of rich pictures were aware of the importance of seeking multiple perspectives on the problem situation, but rarely was any explicit effort aimed at searching for new viewpoints/lens revealed. So while both the picture analysis and interviews indicated that most pictures did include the basic elements of what some writers have defined as a rich picture, only a few seemed to explicitly include any soft system thinking concepts in their pictures. / Whiteboards and paper in group settings was the most popular medium, as was free-hand sketching compared to computer generated icons. The majority of rich pictures included cartoon representations and the interviewees further emphasised the usefulness of humour in cartoon-like rich pictures. Furthermore, a strong focus was found on the process of sketching rather than the usefulness of the finished sketch. A number of interviewees indicated that drawing rich pictures was a group facilitation activity, which helped them to brainstorm ideas and capture thoughts through a discussion focused by the picturing. / Thesis (PhD)--University of South Australia, 2004.

Bibliography: leaves 165-171. / System requirements for accompanying computer CD-ROM: Macintosh or IBM-compatible computer. Other requirements: Web Browser with plug-ins for MPEG and PDF file formats. / xiii, 171 leaves : ill. ; 30 cm. + 1 computer laser optical disk. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / This thesis explores some of the problems associated with the detection and processing of visual motion information, and its application to image segmentation, in the context of artificial vision systems. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, 1998?

This thesis explores 'problem sketching' as a means of dealing with socially constructed, complex human activity problems. It investigates how visualisation is used to facilitate the process of thinking about complex human problems. The most common and popular form of problem sketching appears to be 'rich pictures' as attributed to Checkland from the 1960s, as a part of Soft Systems Methodology (SSM). However, many users of rich picturing no longer consider it as only available to SSM users, rather it has become a stand-alone, if poorly defined, problem sketching method. Meanwhile, in the U.S., Churchman's (1950, 1968, 1971, 1975, 1979 and 1982) interpretation of systems thinking as multiple perspectival thinking has also been advocated by many writers as a useful approach to human activity problem solving. This approach does not seem to have an associated problem sketching method. This thesis therefore uses perspectival thinking as a frame to research problem sketching generally and rich pictures in particular. / First a review of the problem sketching, perspectival thinking and rich picturing literature was used to construct an 'issues table' to guide the interpretive empirical research. The first learning loop of this involved being a participatory observer in six managerial problem solving sessions where rich pictures were used. The second loop collected and analysed as many rich pictures as could be found (268) using the issues table derived from the literature. As the last learning loop, 32 semi-structured interviews were conducted with users who had a wide range of different industrial backgrounds and levels of experience with rich picturing. / The research found no universal design of rich picture, including any explicit application of perspectival thinking in the picturing process. The picture analysis and interviews suggested that systems concepts such as stakeholders, their concerns and their inter-relationships were commonly incorporated while other systems concepts such as boundary and purpose were rarely incorporated. In addition, it was found that the designers of rich pictures were aware of the importance of seeking multiple perspectives on the problem situation, but rarely was any explicit effort aimed at searching for new viewpoints/lens revealed. So while both the picture analysis and interviews indicated that most pictures did include the basic elements of what some writers have defined as a rich picture, only a few seemed to explicitly include any soft system thinking concepts in their pictures. / Whiteboards and paper in group settings was the most popular medium, as was free-hand sketching compared to computer generated icons. The majority of rich pictures included cartoon representations and the interviewees further emphasised the usefulness of humour in cartoon-like rich pictures. Furthermore, a strong focus was found on the process of sketching rather than the usefulness of the finished sketch. A number of interviewees indicated that drawing rich pictures was a group facilitation activity, which helped them to brainstorm ideas and capture thoughts through a discussion focused by the picturing. / Thesis (PhD)--University of South Australia, 2004.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Alabama at Birmingham, 2007. / Additional advisors: Timothy Gawne, Richard Gray, Michael Loop, Michael Sloane, Donald Twieg. Description based on contents viewed Mar. 3, 2008; title from title screen. Includes bibliographical references (p. 88-97).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Oregon, 2007. / Typescript. Includes vita and abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 173-184). Also available for download via the World Wide Web; free to University of Oregon users.

Thesis (B.A.)--Haverford College, Dept. of Psychology, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Bonn, Germany. / Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references and index.

Research paper (M.A.) -- Cardinal Stritch College -- Milwaukee, 1970. / A research paper submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Education (Reading Specialist). Includes bibliographical references (p.44-48).