Cueing

Cueing is the act of signaling or prompting a person, system, or process to initiate an action or response. Cues can be external signals such as a spoken instruction, a visual indicator, or a sound, or internal reminders that prepare an individual to respond.

In psychology and neuroscience, cueing refers to signals used to bias attention, perception, or memory. Common forms are endogenous cues, which guide voluntary attention, and exogenous cues, which automatically draw attention. The cueing paradigm, such as the Posner task, measures how cues influence reaction time and accuracy.

In performing arts and broadcasting, cueing involves signals that trigger lines, lighting, sound effects, or scene changes. Cue sheets or call scripts list cues and timing to ensure coordinated production.

In music, cueing helps players enter at the right moment, often through cue notes or marks indicating another instrument's entrance or a rest.

In design and human-computer interaction, cueing guides users with hints or prompts; cues can be visual, auditory, or haptic, and may adapt to context. In safety-critical fields, cueing schemes aim for rapid, reliable response, with redundancy and testing to prevent missed cues.

Types of cues include spatial cues (where), temporal cues (when), linguistic cues (what to think or say), environmental cues (context), and internal cues (intent or memory).