A1 Journal article (refereed)
The differential impact of face distractors on visual working memory across encoding and delay stages (2024)

Ye, C., Xu, Q., Pan, Z., Nie, Q.-Y., & Liu, Q. (2024). The differential impact of face distractors on visual working memory across encoding and delay stages. Attention Perception and Psychophysics, Early online. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13414-024-02895-6

JYU authors or editors

Publication details

All authors or editors: Ye, Chaoxiong; Xu, Qianru; Pan, Zhihu; Nie, Qi-Yang; Liu, Qiang

Journal or series: Attention Perception and Psychophysics

ISSN: 1943-3921

eISSN: 1943-393X

Publication year: 2024

Publication date: 31/05/2024

Volume: Early online

Publisher: Springer Nature

Publication country: United States

Publication language: English

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/s13414-024-02895-6

Publication open access: Openly available

Publication channel open access: Partially open access channel

Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/95904

Web address of parallel published publication (pre-print): https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/xdycp

Abstract

External distractions often occur when information must be retained in visual working memory (VWM)—a crucial element in cognitive processing and everyday activities. However, the distraction effects can differ if they occur during the encoding rather than the delay stages. Previous research on these effects used simple stimuli (e.g., color and orientation) rather than considering distractions caused by real-world stimuli on VWM. In the present study, participants performed a facial VWM task under different distraction conditions across the encoding and delay stages to elucidate the mechanisms of distraction resistance in the context of complex real-world stimuli. VWM performance was significantly impaired by delay-stage but not encoding-stage distractors (Experiment 1). In addition, the delay distraction effect arose primarily due to the absence of distractor process at the encoding stage rather than the presence of a distractor during the delay stage (Experiment 2). Finally, the impairment in the delay-distraction condition was not due to the abrupt appearance of distractors (Experiment 3). Taken together, these findings indicate that the processing mechanisms previously established for resisting distractions in VWM using simple stimuli can be extended to more complex real-world stimuli, such as faces.

Keywords: memory (cognition); working memory; visual memory; interferences; stimuli (role related to effect); cognitive processes; face

Free keywords: visual short-term memory; facial distractor; encoding stage; delay stage; distraction effect

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Ministry reporting: Yes

VIRTA submission year: 2024

Preliminary JUFO rating: 1