ИСТИНА

In the current study we modeled a web site search task. Subjects (n=39) were to find «icons» - symbolic images of real-life objects (such as butterfly, cactus, book, etc.) among a variety of other objects. Instructions to find target stimuli were given either in written or in graphic form. It was presented for 1 sec, then a rectangular full screen stimulus matrix (9x9) was presented. The target was situated in one of 8 quadrants (the central one was not used). We varied the color and the shape of the stimuli framing. Search time and eye movement data were recorded. In case the target was introduced as a word the search took more time compared to a picture-based search. Moreover, in this case the search time did not depend on the color and the shape of the stimuli in the matrix, and relatively long fixations and short slow saccades were observed. When the test stimulus was introduced as a picture, the search process was determined by physical characteristics of the stimuli in the matrix. The search was performed faster in case the stimuli were square and colored. In this case shorter fixations and longer faster saccades were observed. Funding: This study was sponsored by the Russian Foundation of Basic Research (№ 14-06-00371)