Backward inhibition in a task of switching attention within verbal working memory.
Three experiments were conducted to examine the backward inhibition effect in attention switching within verbal working memory. Experiment one showed significant backward inhibition effect in a "tri-count task". Experiment two suggested that the effect was not due to a perceptual inhibition on the previously presented figure. Experiment three excluded the sequential expectancy explanation for this inhibition effect. Our results suggest that attention switching between working memory items is accompanied by inhibition of the previously attended working memory item. The findings are discussed in respect to the account of the executive function.
Bao
Min
M
Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Science at Microscale, School of Life Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, PR China.
Li
Zhi-Hao
ZH
Chen
Xiang-Chuan
XC
Zhang
Da-Ren
DR
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000502:physiology*; D009433:Neural Inhibition / Q000502:physiology*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D014705:Verbal Behavior / Q000502:physiology*