A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal
Scan path similarity as a function of performance accuracy in multiple object tracking
Authors: Kamkar, Shiva; Bagha, Kamyar; Moghaddam, Hamid Abrisham; Oksama, Lauri; Li, Jie; Hyönä, Jukka
Publication year: 2026
Journal: Vision Research
Article number: 108798
Volume: 244
ISSN: 0042-6989
eISSN: 1878-5646
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.visres.2026.108798
Publication's open availability at the time of reporting: No Open Access
Publication channel's open availability : Partially Open Access publication channel
Web address : https://doi.org/10.1016/j.visres.2026.108798
Tracking multiple moving objects simultaneously is a key task in studying how human observers dynamically allocate attentional resources over time. We investigated factors that can affect scan path similarity during multiple object tracking, particularly whether scan paths differ in trials leading to accurate vs. inaccurate tracking performance. The examined factors were trial-wise performance accuracy, target set-size, type of occlusion, target dispersion, and target speed. The results showed that scan path dissimilarity increases through time for incorrect trials as errors are likely to accumulate. However, for correct trials dissimilarity stays constant over the entire trial time. Scan paths resulting in a successful performance were more similar in those resulting in error for set-size 4 than set-size 2. Additionally, scan paths were more similar when the targets were temporarily occluded compared to scenarios where they moved non-occluded. Scan paths became less similar as targets scattered across a wider area and move more slowly. Overall, the analysis of scan paths is a valuable source of information for studying strategies adopted by observers during accurate and inaccurate tracking of moving objects.
Funding information in the publication:
This work has been supported by the Center for International Scientific Studies & Collaborations (CISSC), Ministry of Science, Research and Technology of Iran, Grant No. A/1402/981.
