Cognitive load modulates attentional capture by color singletons during effortful visual search.
Color singletons that are irrelevant to locating a visual target do not typically capture attention if visual search is effortful. In contrast, when search is efficient color singletons are often found to capture attention. Such distraction by a color singleton can be modulated by single-task vs. dual-task manipulations when visual search is efficient. This is due, presumably, to the increased cognitive load in the dual-task condition, which interferes with top-down attentional control. This study investigated whether capture by a color singleton is also modulated by single-task vs. dual-task manipulations when visual search was effortful. The results of three experiments revealed that attentional capture effects were absent in a single-task condition and were present in a dual-task condition, but only when the identity of the color singleton is not associated with the target response-set. When the identity of the color singleton was relevant to the response-set it captured attention in both the single-task and in dual-task conditions.
Department of Psychology, University at Albany-SUNY, USA. attention.perform@gmail.com
Bryan R
BR
Burnham
D001288:Attention; D003118:Color Perception; D004192:Discrimination, Psychological; D006801:Humans; D008570:Memory, Short-Term; D009949:Orientation; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual; D011930:Reaction Time