Generalization of value-based attentional priority

Abstract

Attention is the mechanism by which important or salient stimuli are selected for perceptual and cognitive processing. Which stimuli are attended has important implications for effective goal-directed behaviour, survival, and well-being. A growing body of evidence suggests that reward-predicting stimuli capture attention involuntarily. In previous studies, value-based attentional priority has been observed only when the formerly reward-related stimuli themselves were presented as targets or distractors. Here we show that stimulus-reward associations learned in one task generalize to different stimuli that share a defining feature (colour) in another task. Our results reveal a broad and flexible role for reward learning in modulating attentional priority.

Keywords: Attentional capture; Incentive salience; Novelty; Reward learning; Selective attention.

Figure 1

Sequence of events and time course for a trial during training (a) and at test (b) in Experiment 1. To view this figure in colour, please see the online issue of the Journal.

Figure 2

Mean response time (a) and flanker compatibility effects (b) by condition in the test phase of Experiment 1 (*p<.05).

Figure 3

Mean response time by condition in the test phase of Experiment 2 (**p<.01).