Computational models of category learning and attention have
historically focused on capturing trial and experiment level
interactions between attention and decision. However,
evidence has been accumulating that suggests that the
moment-to-moment attentional dynamics of an individual
affects both their immediate decision-making processes as
well as their overall learning performance. To extend the
scope of these formal theories requires a modeling approach
that can index fine-grained decision-making at millisecond
time scales. Here we implement a model of eye movements
during category learning using concepts from Dynamic
Neural Field Theory research. Our model uses a combination
of timing signals, spatial competition and Hebbian association
to simultaneously account for a number of foundational
attentional efficiency results from eye tracking and category
learning. We report the results of fitting this model to
accuracy, fixation probabilities, fixation counts and fixation
duration data in 42 subjects from a standard category learning
experiment.