The modulation of temporal predictability on attentional boost effect

• Published in: Brain and behavior 2024-09, Vol.14 (9), p.e3653-n/a
• Main Authors: Pan, Jianan, Fu, Chao, Su, Ping, Guo, Qian, Li, Xinglin, Zheng, Chun, Ma, Xueqin, Yong, Tingjun
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Attention - physiology; attentional boost effect; behaviorally relevant events; Female; Humans; Male; Memory; Memory - physiology; Original; perceptual enhancement; predictability; Reaction Time - physiology; Recognition, Psychology - physiology; temporal orienting; Time Factors; Young Adult
• ISSN: 2162-3279; 2162-3279
• DOI: 10.1002/brb3.3653

Introduction The attentional boost effect, characterized by better memory for background scenes coinciding with a detection target than a nontarget, is believed to stem from a temporary increase in attentional capacity at the time of an acute behavior‐related event occurring. Sisk and Jiang's study found that the attentional boost effect also occurs when the target's appearance was predictable. Unfortunately, the duration of the predictive interval in Sisk and Jiang's study was fixed. Since different predictive intervals had different weakening degrees to the acuteness of the target, this fixed duration hindered further investigation into the impact of different levels of predictability on the attentional boost effect. Method Using the encoding‐recognition paradigm and the remembering/knowing paradigm, and setting target stimuli with different predictive interval in target detection tasks, the current study aimed to explore the influence of varying the duration of the predictive interval on the attentional boost effect. Results The attentional boost effect was observed only in the short and medium predictive duration conditions, but not in the long predictive duration condition. Moreover, as the duration of the predictive interval increased, participants’ memory performance on target‐paired words gradually declined, while their memory performance on distractor‐paired and baseline‐paired words gradually improved. Conclusions Predictability may alter the task demands, allowing participants to more effectively allocate attentional resources to the two tasks at hand. This study investigates the attentional boost effect (ABE) and its relationship with event predictability. Using encoding‐recognition and remembering/knowing paradigms, it was found that short and medium predictive intervals enhance memory for target‐paired words, while long intervals do not. Predictability alters task demands, allowing better allocation of attentional resources. Under short predictability, more attention is given to target stimuli, enhancing memory (ABE). Under long predictability, attention is distributed more broadly, reducing the ABE.