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| Research article summary (published 27 Feb 2003): |
Working memory controls involuntary attention switching: evidence from an auditory distraction paradigm.
Full Abstract
One function of working memory is to protect current mental processes against interference. In contrast, to be able to react flexibly on unpredictable environmental changes working memory should not totally be encapsulated from processing task unrelated information; that is, it should remain distractible. By manipulating the task load of the primary task in an auditory distraction paradigm we investigated how these opposing functions are coordinated by working memory. The behavioural results show that distraction effects were still present but reduced markedly with higher task demands. This suggests that working memory exerts some control over involuntary attention. In addition, event-related brain potentials related to the different processing stages reveal that the preattentive change detection system underlying distraction was not modulated by task demand whereas distraction per se was. The present data suggest that working memory is able to coordinate the maintenance of distractibility and the focus on the task at hand.
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Author information
Author/s: Berti, Stefan (S); Schröger, Erich (E);
Affiliation: Institut für Allgemeine Psychologie, Universität Leipzig, Seeburgstr 14-20, D-04103 Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany. berti@rz.uni-leipzig.de
Journal and publication information
Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Journal: The European journal of neuroscience (Eur J Neurosci), published in France. (Language: eng)
Reference: 2003-Mar; vol 17 (issue 5) : pp 1119-22
Dates: Created 2003/03/25; Completed 2003/05/15; Revised 2006/11/15;
PMID: 12653989, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 11/6/2008)
Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.
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