Abstract
Are task-irrelevant stimuli processed to a level enabling individual identification? This question is central both for perceptual processing models and for applied settings (e.g., eye-witness testimony). Lavie’s load theory proposes that working memory actively maintains attentional prioritization of relevant over irrelevant information. Loading working memory thus impairs attentional prioritization, leading to increased processing of task-irrelevant stimuli. Previous research has shown that increased working memory load leads to greater interference effects from response-competing distractors. Here we test the novel prediction that increased processing of irrelevant stimuli under high working memory load should lead to a greater likelihood of incidental identification of entirely irrelevant stimuli. To test this, we asked participants to perform a word-categorization task while ignoring task-irrelevant images. The categorization task was performed during the retention interval of a working memory task with either low or high load (defined by memory set size). Following the final experimental trial, a surprise question assessed incidental identification of the irrelevant image. Loading working memory was found to improve identification of task-irrelevant faces, but not of building stimuli (shown in a separate experiment to be less distracting). These findings suggest that working memory plays a critical role in determining whether distracting stimuli will be subsequently identified.
Highlights
As we navigate our complex social and physical environment, we attend to those stimuli deemed most relevant to our current goals
In line with the predictions of load theory, numerous studies have demonstrated that high perceptual load reduces behavioral interference caused by task-irrelevant distractors (e.g., Lavie, 1995; Lavie and Cox, 1997) as well as the neural activity associated with distractors (e.g., Rees et al, 1997; Schwartz et al, 2005), whereas high working memory load increases distractor processing in both measures (De Fockert et al, 2001; Lavie et al, 2004; Lavie and De Fockert, 2005)
More participants correctly identified the face under high (76%), compared to low (52%) working memory load [Figure 2; χ2(1) = 3.125; p = 0.039]. These results are consistent with our prediction that under low working memory load, efficient control of stimulus processing priorities would prevent processing of the peripheral face’s identity, whereas under high working memory load prioritization would be impaired, increasing incidental identification of the famous face
Summary
As we navigate our complex social and physical environment, we attend to those stimuli deemed most relevant to our current goals. In line with the predictions of load theory, numerous studies have demonstrated that high perceptual load reduces behavioral interference caused by task-irrelevant distractors (e.g., Lavie, 1995; Lavie and Cox, 1997) as well as the neural activity associated with distractors (e.g., Rees et al, 1997; Schwartz et al, 2005), whereas high working memory load increases distractor processing in both measures (De Fockert et al, 2001; Lavie et al, 2004; Lavie and De Fockert, 2005) These studies, employed indirect measures that do not assess explicit distractor identification
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