Attention shifting between global and local target levels: The persistence of level-repetition effects

The aim of the reported experiments was to investigate the persistence of global/ local level-repetition effects in an identification task with hierarchical stimuli. In the first experiment the trial rate was self paced, and cues were available during the unconstrained preparation interval. Nevertheless, significant level-repetition effects occurred, which were similar for shifts from global to local, and vice versa. Also, the role of the spatial-frequency content of the stimuli was examined. but no indication was found that it affected the repetition effects. In the second experiment, the time and the cue information available for preparation as well as the interval between cue and stimulus (ISI) was varied. It turned out that the response times decreased with an increasing ISI. However, the level-repetition effects were unaffected. In all, the level-repetition effects turned out to be largely independent of voluntary control mechanisms.