Associative priming by targets and distractors during rapid serial visual presentation: Does word meaning survive the attentional blink?

Abstract

In 5 experiments, 432 college students viewed lists of words containing 2 targets (Target 1 [T1] and Target 2 [T2]) presented by rapid serial visual presentation at 10 words per second. Identification of T1 caused a 500-ms impairment in the identification of T2 (the attentional blink [AB]). Improved recall of T2 was observed throughout the time course of the AB when T2 was a strong associate of either T1 or a priming distractor (PD). When participants ignored T1, the AB was eliminated, but the amount of priming was not affected. Priming of T2 by PD was temporary (100-200 ms after the onset of PD). Although target priming and distractor priming both survived the AB, the 2 forms of priming appeared to have different bases. In contrast to priming by PD, priming by T1 was larger, modulated by backward associative strength, and longer lasting. Priming and the AB are hypothesized to result from on-line attentional processes, but recall from RSVP lists is also influenced by off-line memory processes.