Wolfe, J. M., Yu, K. P. et al. (1990). Limitations on the parallel guidance of visual search: Color x color and orientation x orientation conjunctions. Journal of Exerimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 16(4), 879-892.
In visual search for a conjunction it is much more difficult to search for
the conjunction of 2 colors or 2 orientations than for Color x Orientation or
Color x Shape conjunctions. The result is not limited to particular colors or
shapes. Two colors cannot occupy the same spatial location in Color x Color
searches. However, Experiments 6 and 7 show that Color x Shape searches remain
efficient even if the color and shape are spatially separated. Our guided search
model suggests that in searches for Color x Shape, a parallel color module can
guide attention toward the correct color, whereas the shape module guides attention
toward the correct shape. Together these 2 sources of guidance lead attention
to the target. However, if a target is read and green among red-blue and green-blue
distractors, it is not possible to guide search independently toward red items
and green items or away from all blue items.