This paper re-examines the visual search process and visual information processing from a continuous flow perspective, suggesting that information accumulates gradually in the visual system, with concurrent priming of responses. Three experiments support this continuous flow conception. The first two experiments investigated display stimuli varying in size and figure-ground contrast, confirming the continuous flow model. The third experiment used asynchronous onset of target and noise, providing convergent evidence of the accumulative nature of information and response priming in visual processing. The authors discuss the role of noise in visual search, noting that both speed and accuracy depend on the number of noise elements and their similarity to the target. They explore various models to explain these effects, including early perceptual stages and decisional processes. However, no single model fully explains all variables involved in visual search. The paper also examines the effects of noise at different levels of processing, including decision, early perceptual, and response levels. It highlights that noise can interfere with target recognition and response time, even when the target location is known. The continuous flow model suggests that information about stimuli accumulates gradually, and responses are concurrently primed or partially activated. This model predicts that reaction time to a target can be decreased by making the target larger, brighter, or more contrastive, while increasing the amount of response competition from incompatible noise will increase reaction time. Experiments 1 and 2 manipulate the relative processing time of target and noise letters, and the amount of response competition. Experiment 3 uses an asynchronous onset of target and noise to test the assumption of differential rates of buildup of competing responses. The results support the continuous flow model, showing that forward masking is greater when the mask consists of response-incompatible noise letters than when they are compatible.This paper re-examines the visual search process and visual information processing from a continuous flow perspective, suggesting that information accumulates gradually in the visual system, with concurrent priming of responses. Three experiments support this continuous flow conception. The first two experiments investigated display stimuli varying in size and figure-ground contrast, confirming the continuous flow model. The third experiment used asynchronous onset of target and noise, providing convergent evidence of the accumulative nature of information and response priming in visual processing. The authors discuss the role of noise in visual search, noting that both speed and accuracy depend on the number of noise elements and their similarity to the target. They explore various models to explain these effects, including early perceptual stages and decisional processes. However, no single model fully explains all variables involved in visual search. The paper also examines the effects of noise at different levels of processing, including decision, early perceptual, and response levels. It highlights that noise can interfere with target recognition and response time, even when the target location is known. The continuous flow model suggests that information about stimuli accumulates gradually, and responses are concurrently primed or partially activated. This model predicts that reaction time to a target can be decreased by making the target larger, brighter, or more contrastive, while increasing the amount of response competition from incompatible noise will increase reaction time. Experiments 1 and 2 manipulate the relative processing time of target and noise letters, and the amount of response competition. Experiment 3 uses an asynchronous onset of target and noise to test the assumption of differential rates of buildup of competing responses. The results support the continuous flow model, showing that forward masking is greater when the mask consists of response-incompatible noise letters than when they are compatible.