title: Visual search is guided by prospective and retrospective memory.
abstract: Although there has been some controversy as to whether attention is guided by memory during visual search, recent findings have suggested that memory helps to prevent attention from needlessly reinspecting examined items. Until now, it has been assumed that some form of retrospective memory is responsible for keeping track of examined items and preventing revisitations. Alternatively, some form of prospective memory, such as strategic scanpath planning, could be responsible for guiding attention away from examined items. We used a new technique that allowed us to selectively prevent retrospective or prospective memory from contributing to search. We demonstrated that both retrospective and prospective memory guide attention during visual search.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia 22030, USA. mpeters2@gmu.edu
authors.forename: Mathew S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Peterson
authors.forename: Melissa R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Beck
authors.forename: Miroslava
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vomela
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term; D011939:Mental Recall; D009039:Motion Perception; D009949:Orientation; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual; D011337:Probability Learning; D011601:Psychophysics; D011930:Reaction Time; D012153:Retention, Psychology; D012438:Saccades