Abstract

At visual fixation, gaze cues strongly influence an observer’s attention and response preparation. Using an interference
paradigm, we have shown that gaze cues presented away from fixation are much less effective. Instead, strongest response cueing is found for pointing hands and rotated heads (Burton, Bindemann, Langton, Schweinberger & Jenkins, 2009; Hermens & Bindemann, 2014). These hand and head cues have a clear shape outline and therefore the results suggest that the strength of extrafoveally presented cues is determined by the shape of the cue. Here, we present data using the same interference paradigm and show that extrafoveally presented arrow cues (symbolic cue; distinct shape) result in stronger response cueing than eye gaze cues and direction words (social and symbolic cue, respectively, no distinct shape). These results further support the notion that cue shape rather than social status determines the strength of extrafoveally presented cues.