Reexamining the 'Invisible Gorilla': Surprising Objects Demand Attention.

A new study by New York University researchers challenges the long-standing view that our ability to see unexpected objects is impaired when our attention is focused elsewhere. The study found that people are quite capable of noticing unexpected objects that are moving quickly while focusing on a task, but are less adept at noticing the same objects when they are moving slowly. The findings suggest that organisms possess a "sentinel" system that constantly monitors the environment, alerting them to potential threats, specifically fast-moving attacking predators.