Comparing mixed and blocked visual search tasks

Prevalence Effects in Visual Search: Theoretical and Practical Implications

NA · Brigham and Women's Hospital · NCT06933693

This study tests how doing the same visual search task over and over compares to mixing different tasks to see which way helps people pay attention better.

Quick facts

PhaseNA
Study typeInterventional
Enrollment40 (estimated)
Ages18 Years and up
SexAll
SponsorBrigham and Women's Hospital (other)
Locations1 site (Boston, Massachusetts)
Trial IDNCT06933693 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This study investigates the differences in visual search behavior when participants perform the same search task repeatedly versus when they are presented with a mix of different tasks. Participants will engage in two conditions: a Mixed condition where tasks are randomly interchanged and a Blocked condition where each task is performed in a sequence of 100 trials. The goal is to understand how these different approaches to visual search may affect attention and performance. This experiment is part of a larger project funded by the National Cancer Institute, focusing on visual attention and search strategies.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates are individuals who can pass the Ishihara color vision test and have normal or corrected vision.

Not a fit: Patients with a history of neuromuscular or visual disorders or those with vision less than 20/25 with correction may not benefit from this study.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this study could enhance our understanding of visual attention, potentially leading to improved strategies for training and rehabilitation in individuals with visual processing challenges.

How similar studies have performed: While the specific approach of mixing and blocking visual search tasks is novel, similar studies have explored visual attention and search strategies with varying degrees of success.

Eligibility criteria

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

* Pass Ishihara color vision test

Exclusion Criteria:

* vision less than 20/25 with correction
* history of neuromuscular or visual disorders

Where this trial is running

Boston, Massachusetts

Study contacts

How to participate

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.

View on ClinicalTrials.gov →

Conditions: Vision, Healthy, Attention, visual search, visual attention

Last reviewed 2026-05-15 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.