Detecting Those Who Can Detect Better: A Review Study on Individual Differences in Attending Disguised Objects

Abstract

Theoretical models and studies have well illustrated individual differences in their Cognitive Abilities. Attention and Visual Processing are among the cognitive abilities possessed by human. The processing involved here further guides their perception of their environment. Camouflage as a term refers to practice of deliberately disguising or hiding any object so as to escape it from attention of the viewer and thereby exclude that object specially from their visual processing. Keeping in light the fact of individual differences, it becomes a quest of interest if individual differences exist on their ability to detect camouflaged objects and if they do then further identify those who better possess this ability. The revelation and compilation of these parameters can in assessment and scrutiny in recruitment of applicants of a job profile where this ability is deserved, for example security personnels. The present study does a review of existing literature and studies the cognitive and behavioral aspects of human beings and finds that differences on this existed on physiological, psychological, gender, socio-economic and developmental basis. The characteristics of these bases are discussed in the paper.