An evaluative review

A major issue in elementary cognition and information processinghas been whether rapidsearch of short-term memory or a visual display can terminate when a predesignated target is found or whether it must proceed until all items are examined. This study summarizes past and recent theoretical results on the ability of self-terminatingand exhaustive models topredict differences in slopes between positive (target-present) and negative (target-absent) set-sizefunctions, as well as position effects. The empirical literature is reviewed with regard to the presence of slope differences and position effects. Theoretical investigations demonstrate that self-terminatingmodels can readilypredict the results often associated with exhaustive -processing, but a verybroad class of exhaustive models is incapable of predicting position effects and slope differences typically associated with self-termination. Because position effects and slope differences are found throughout the rapid search literature, we concludethat the exhaustiveprocessinghypothesis is not tenable under common experimental conditions.