Journal article
Where to Start? Bottom-Up Attention Improves Working Memory by Determining Encoding Order
Journal of experimental psychology. Human perception and performance, Vol.42(12), pp.1959-1968
12/2016
DOI: 10.1037/xhp0000275
PMID: 27505226
Abstract
The present study aimed to characterize the mechanism by which working memory is enhanced for items that capture attention because of their novelty or saliency-that is, via bottom-up attention. The first experiment replicated previous research by corroborating that bottom-up attention directed to an item is sufficient for enhancing working memory and, moreover, generalized the effect to the domain of verbal working memory. The subsequent 3 experiments sought to determine how bottom-up attention affects working memory. We considered 2 hypotheses: (1) Bottom-up attention enhances the encoded representation of the stimulus, similar to how voluntary attention functions, or (2) It affects the order of encoding by shifting priority onto the attended stimulus. By manipulating how stimuli were presented (simultaneous/sequential display) and whether the cue predicted the tested items, we found evidence that bottom-up attention improves working memory performance via the order of encoding hypothesis. This finding was observed across change detection and free recall paradigms. In contrast, voluntary attention improved working memory regardless of encoding order and showed greater effects on working memory. We conclude that when multiple information sources compete, bottom-up attention prioritizes the location at which encoding should begin. When encoding order is set, bottom-up attention has little or no benefit to working memory.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Where to Start? Bottom-Up Attention Improves Working Memory by Determining Encoding Order
- Creators
- Susan M Ravizza - Department of Psychology, Michigan State UniversityMitchell G Uitvlugt - Department of Psychology, Michigan State UniversityEliot Hazeltine - Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Iowa
- Contributors
- James T Enns (Editor)
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Journal of experimental psychology. Human perception and performance, Vol.42(12), pp.1959-1968
- DOI
- 10.1037/xhp0000275
- PMID
- 27505226
- NLM abbreviation
- J Exp Psychol Hum Percept Perform
- ISSN
- 0096-1523
- eISSN
- 1939-1277
- Publisher
- American Psychological Association
- Grant note
- name: National Science Foundation, award: 1149078
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 12/2016
- Academic Unit
- Psychological and Brain Sciences; Iowa Neuroscience Institute
- Record Identifier
- 9984070295202771
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