Preparation and persistence of deploying attention to locations or stimulus structures: Evidence from intermixed probe trials
Attention can be directed to the global or local level of a visual stimulus (i.e., Navon figure). Previous studies yielded reliable trial-to-trial level switch costs (i.e., worse performance when responding to the other level than on a previous trial), even though level cueing effects indicated anti...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2024-05-01
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| Series: | Acta Psychologica |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0001691824000829 |
| _version_ | 1811153550451933184 |
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| author | Svantje T. Kähler Mike Wendt Imke M. Dühnen Aquiles Luna-Rodriguez Thomas Jacobsen |
| author_facet | Svantje T. Kähler Mike Wendt Imke M. Dühnen Aquiles Luna-Rodriguez Thomas Jacobsen |
| author_sort | Svantje T. Kähler |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Attention can be directed to the global or local level of a visual stimulus (i.e., Navon figure). Previous studies yielded reliable trial-to-trial level switch costs (i.e., worse performance when responding to the other level than on a previous trial), even though level cueing effects indicated anticipatory deployment of attention to the upcoming target level. To investigate the interplay of attentional preparation and persistence, we applied a probe trial method assumed to ensure a high degree of preparation for the upcoming target level and minimizing stimulus-specific proactive interference. Mirroring previous findings obtained in the domain of spatial attention, we found evidence for anticipatory attentional focusing on global/local target levels but not for persistence of the attentional set adopted on the previous trial. In a second experiment, we prevented preparation for upcoming attentional demands (in both global-local and spatial attention tasks). This resulted in the modulation of performance (in critical probe trials) by the attentional demands of the predecessor trial. Together, our findings demonstrate sensitivity of the probe trial method for attentional persistence and raise the possibility that such persistence can be completely eliminated by sufficiently strong preparation for the attentional demands of the following trial. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T09:59:02Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b553dc10f5394d36a6f10b790122192f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0001-6918 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T09:59:02Z |
| publishDate | 2024-05-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Acta Psychologica |
| spelling | doaj.art-b553dc10f5394d36a6f10b790122192f2024-04-14T04:09:55ZengElsevierActa Psychologica0001-69182024-05-01245104205Preparation and persistence of deploying attention to locations or stimulus structures: Evidence from intermixed probe trialsSvantje T. Kähler0Mike Wendt1Imke M. Dühnen2Aquiles Luna-Rodriguez3Thomas Jacobsen4Experimental Psychology Unit, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Helmut Schmidt University/University of the Federal Armed Forces Hamburg, Germany; Corresponding author at: Experimental Psychology Unit, University of the Federal Armed Forces Hamburg, Holstenhofweg 85, 22043 Hamburg, Germany.Department of Psychology, MSH Medical School Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany; Institute for Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, MSH Medical School Hamburg, Hamburg, GermanyExperimental Psychology Unit, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Helmut Schmidt University/University of the Federal Armed Forces Hamburg, GermanyExperimental Psychology Unit, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Helmut Schmidt University/University of the Federal Armed Forces Hamburg, GermanyExperimental Psychology Unit, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Helmut Schmidt University/University of the Federal Armed Forces Hamburg, GermanyAttention can be directed to the global or local level of a visual stimulus (i.e., Navon figure). Previous studies yielded reliable trial-to-trial level switch costs (i.e., worse performance when responding to the other level than on a previous trial), even though level cueing effects indicated anticipatory deployment of attention to the upcoming target level. To investigate the interplay of attentional preparation and persistence, we applied a probe trial method assumed to ensure a high degree of preparation for the upcoming target level and minimizing stimulus-specific proactive interference. Mirroring previous findings obtained in the domain of spatial attention, we found evidence for anticipatory attentional focusing on global/local target levels but not for persistence of the attentional set adopted on the previous trial. In a second experiment, we prevented preparation for upcoming attentional demands (in both global-local and spatial attention tasks). This resulted in the modulation of performance (in critical probe trials) by the attentional demands of the predecessor trial. Together, our findings demonstrate sensitivity of the probe trial method for attentional persistence and raise the possibility that such persistence can be completely eliminated by sufficiently strong preparation for the attentional demands of the following trial.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0001691824000829Global/local processingSelective attentionTask preparation |
| spellingShingle | Svantje T. Kähler Mike Wendt Imke M. Dühnen Aquiles Luna-Rodriguez Thomas Jacobsen Preparation and persistence of deploying attention to locations or stimulus structures: Evidence from intermixed probe trials Acta Psychologica Global/local processing Selective attention Task preparation |
| title | Preparation and persistence of deploying attention to locations or stimulus structures: Evidence from intermixed probe trials |
| title_full | Preparation and persistence of deploying attention to locations or stimulus structures: Evidence from intermixed probe trials |
| title_fullStr | Preparation and persistence of deploying attention to locations or stimulus structures: Evidence from intermixed probe trials |
| title_full_unstemmed | Preparation and persistence of deploying attention to locations or stimulus structures: Evidence from intermixed probe trials |
| title_short | Preparation and persistence of deploying attention to locations or stimulus structures: Evidence from intermixed probe trials |
| title_sort | preparation and persistence of deploying attention to locations or stimulus structures evidence from intermixed probe trials |
| topic | Global/local processing Selective attention Task preparation |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0001691824000829 |
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