Executive and perceptual distraction in visual working memory

Abstract

The contents of visual working memory are likely to reflect the influence of both executive control resources and information present in the environment. We investigated whether executive attention is critical in the ability to exclude unwanted stimuli by introducing concurrent potentially distracting irrelevant items to a visual working memory paradigm, and manipulating executive load using simple or more demanding secondary verbal tasks. Across 7 experiments varying in presentation format, timing, stimulus set, and distractor number, we observed clear disruptive effects of executive load and visual distraction, but relatively minimal evidence supporting an interactive relationship between these factors. These findings are in line with recent evidence using delay-based interference, and suggest that different forms of attentional selection operate relatively independently in visual working memory. (PsycINFO Database Record

Figure 1

Schematic illustration of trial procedure in Experiment 1, for no-distractor and distractor trials in the (a) color condition, (b) shape condition, and (c) color + shape condition. As illustrated in (d), using the color + shape condition as an example, the four targets were always presented at screen center, and the four distractors in one of four surrounding configurations. Sizes are not to scale, and shades of gray represent different colors.

Figure 2

Proportion correct (with standard error in error bars) in Experiment 1 as a function of stimulus condition, distractors, and concurrent task.

Figure 3

Object stimuli used in Experiment 2, showing (left to right and top to bottom), candle, car, chair, cup, glass, hat, jacket, umbrella, plus the neutral item (tack) used in the color condition.

Figure 4

Proportion correct (with standard error in error bars) in Experiment 2 as a function of stimulus condition, distractors, and concurrent task.

Figure 5

Schematic illustration of trial procedure in Experiment 3, for no-distractor (left display) and distractor (right display) trials using the color + shape condition as an illustrative example. Sizes are not to scale, and shades of gray represent different colors.

Figure 6

Proportion correct (with standard error in error bars) in Experiment 3 as a function of stimulus condition, distractors, and concurrent task.

Figure 7

Schematic illustration (not to scale) of display configurations from each of the distractor conditions in Experiment 4.

Figure 8

Proportion correct (with standard error in error bars) in Experiment 4 as a function of distractors and concurrent task.

Figure 9

Proportion correct (with standard error in error bars) in Experiment 5 as a function of stimulus condition, distractors, and concurrent task.

Figure 10

Schematic illustration of presentation and test method in Experiment 6.

Figure 11

Proportion correct (with standard error in error bars) in Experiment 6 as a function of stimulus condition, distractors, and concurrent task.

Figure 12

Proportion correct (with standard error in error bars) at each serial position in Experiment 6, for (a) color, (b) shape, and (c) color + shape conditions.

Figure 13

Proportion correct (with standard error in error bars) in Experiment 7 as a function of stimulus condition, distractors, and concurrent task.

Figure 14

Proportion correct (with standard error in error bars) at each serial position in Experiment 7, for (a) color, (b) shape, and (c) color + shape conditions.