Abstract
Previous work has demonstrated that increasing the number of distractors in a search array can reduce interference from distractor content during target processing. However, it is unclear how this reduced interference influences learning of target information. Here, we investigated how varying the amount and content of distraction present in a learning environment affects visual search and subsequent memory for target items. In two experiments, we demonstrate that the number and content of competing distractors interact in their influence on target selection and memory. Specifically, while increasing the number of distractors present in a search array made target detection more effortful, it did not impair learning and memory for target content. Instead, when the distractors contained category information that conflicted with the target, increasing the number of distractors from one to three actually benefitted learning and memory. These data suggest that increasing numbers of distractors may reduce interference from conflicting conceptual information during encoding.
Highlights
As we navigate our complex visual world, different stimuli compete for our limited processing capacity
Selective attention enables us to prioritize processing in favor of relevant items while suppressing irrelevant distractors (Carrasco, 2011; Desimone & Duncan, 1995; Gazzaley, Cooney, McEvoy, Knight, & D’Esposito, 2005; Kastner & Ungerleider, 2001; Moran & Desimone, 1985; Reynolds, Chelazzi, & Desimone, 1999)
Understanding the relationship between visual distraction and memory is critical in order to design effective learning environments and intervention strategies to enhance learning and memory in individuals who may struggle to encode relevant information
Summary
As we navigate our complex visual world, different stimuli compete for our limited processing capacity. This previous work suggests that we may have seen poorer target recognition memory in the one-distractor condition because the visual search task was easy enough in this condition that participants could find the target and still process the meaningful content contained within the distracting image.
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