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Reward-prospect interacts with trial-by-trial preparation for potential distraction.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Marini, F; van den Berg, B; Woldorff, MG
Published in: Vis cogn
February 1, 2015

When attending for impending visual stimuli, cognitive systems prepare to identify relevant information while ignoring irrelevant, potentially distracting input. Recent work (Marini et al., 2013) showed that a supramodal distracter-filtering mechanism is invoked in blocked designs involving expectation of possible distracter stimuli, although this entails a cost (distraction-filtering cost) on speeded performance when distracters are expected but not presented. Here we used an arrow-flanker task to study whether an analogous cost, potentially reflecting the recruitment of a specific distraction-filtering mechanism, occurs dynamically when potential distraction is cued trial-to-trial (cued distracter-expectation cost). In order to promote the maximal utilization of cue information by participants, in some experimental conditions the cue also signaled the possibility of earning a monetary reward for fast and accurate performance. This design also allowed us to investigate the interplay between anticipation for distracters and anticipation of reward, which is known to engender attentional preparation. Only in reward contexts did participants show a cued distracter-expectation cost, which was larger with higher reward prospect and when anticipation for both distracters and reward were manipulated trial-to-trial. Thus, these results indicate that reward prospect interacts with the distracter expectation during trial-by-trial preparatory processes for potential distraction. These findings highlight how reward guides cue-driven attentional preparation.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Vis cogn

DOI

ISSN

1350-6285

Publication Date

February 1, 2015

Volume

23

Issue

1-2

Start / End Page

313 / 335

Location

England

Related Subject Headings

  • Experimental Psychology
  • 5204 Cognitive and computational psychology
  • 1702 Cognitive Sciences
  • 1701 Psychology
 

Citation

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Marini, F., van den Berg, B., & Woldorff, M. G. (2015). Reward-prospect interacts with trial-by-trial preparation for potential distraction. Vis Cogn, 23(1–2), 313–335. https://doi.org/10.1080/13506285.2015.1023387
Marini, Francesco, Berry van den Berg, and Marty G. Woldorff. “Reward-prospect interacts with trial-by-trial preparation for potential distraction.Vis Cogn 23, no. 1–2 (February 1, 2015): 313–35. https://doi.org/10.1080/13506285.2015.1023387.
Marini F, van den Berg B, Woldorff MG. Reward-prospect interacts with trial-by-trial preparation for potential distraction. Vis cogn. 2015 Feb 1;23(1–2):313–35.
Marini, Francesco, et al. “Reward-prospect interacts with trial-by-trial preparation for potential distraction.Vis Cogn, vol. 23, no. 1–2, Feb. 2015, pp. 313–35. Pubmed, doi:10.1080/13506285.2015.1023387.
Marini F, van den Berg B, Woldorff MG. Reward-prospect interacts with trial-by-trial preparation for potential distraction. Vis cogn. 2015 Feb 1;23(1–2):313–335.
Journal cover image

Published In

Vis cogn

DOI

ISSN

1350-6285

Publication Date

February 1, 2015

Volume

23

Issue

1-2

Start / End Page

313 / 335

Location

England

Related Subject Headings

  • Experimental Psychology
  • 5204 Cognitive and computational psychology
  • 1702 Cognitive Sciences
  • 1701 Psychology