Abstract
Research that uses simple response time tasks and neuroimaging has emphasized that attentional preparation based on temporal expectancy modulates processing at motor levels. A novel approach was taken to study whether the temporal orienting of attention can also modulate perceptual processing. A temporal-cuing paradigm was used together with a rapid serial visual presentation procedure, in order to maximize the processing demands of perceptual analysis. Signal detection theory was applied in order to examine whether temporal orienting affects processes related to perceptual sensitivity or to response criterion (indexed byďand beta measures, respectively). If temporal orienting implies perceptual preparation, we would expect to observe an increase in perceptual sensitivity (ď) when a target appeared at expected, rather than unexpected, time intervals. Indeed, our behavioral results opened the possibility that focusing attention on time intervals not only enhances motor processing, as has been shown by previous research, but also might improve perceptual processing.
Article PDF
References
Correa, Á., Lupiáñez, J., Milliken, B., &Tudela, P. (2004). Endogenous temporal orienting of attention in detection and discrimination tasks.Perception & Psychophysics,66, 264–278.
Coull, J. T., Frith, C. D., Büchel, C., &Nobre, A. C. (2000). Orienting attention in time: Behavioural and neuroanatomical distinction between exogenous and endogenous shifts.Neuropsychologia,38, 808–819.
Coull, J. T., &Nobre, A. C. (1998). Where and when to pay attention: The neural systems for directing attention to spatial locations and to time intervals as revealed by both PET and fMRI.Journal of Neuroscience,18, 7426–7435.
Enns, J. T., &Di Lollo, V. (1997). Object substitution: A new form of masking in unattended visual locations.Psychological Science,8, 135–139.
Ghose, G. M., &Maunsell, J. H. R. (2002). Attentional modulation in visual cortex depends on task timing.Nature,419, 616–620.
Green, D. M., &Swets, J. A. (1966).Signal detection theory and psychophysics. New York: Wiley.
Griffin, I. C., Miniussi, C., &Nobre, A. C. (2002). Multiple mechanisms of selective attention: Differential modulation of stimulus processing by attention to space of time.Neuropsychologia,40, 2325–2340.
Hawkins, H. L., Hillyard, S. A., Luck, S. J., Mouloua, M., Downing, C. J., &Woodward, D. P. (1990). Visual attention modulates signal detectability.Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception & Performance,16, 802–811.
Luck, S. J., Hillyard, S. A., Mouloua, M., Woldorff, M. G., Clark, V. P., &Hawkins, H. L. (1994). Effects of spatial cuing on luminance detectability: Psychophysical and electrophysiological evidence for early selection.Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception & Performance,20, 887–904.
Mangun, G. R. (1995). Neural mechanisms of visual selective attention.Psychophysiology,32, 4–18.
Milliken, B., Lupiáñez, J., Roberts, M., &Stevanovski, B. (2003). Orienting in space and time: Joint contributions to exogenous spatial cuing effects.Psychonomic Bulletin & Review,10, 877–883.
Miniussi, C., Wilding, E. L., Coull, J. T., &Nobre, A. C. (1999). Orienting attention in time: Modulation of brain potentials.Brain,122, 1507–1518.
Nobre, A. C. (2001). Orienting attention to instants in time.Neuropsychologia,39, 1317–1328.
Posner, M. I., Snyder, C. R. R., &Davidson, B. J. (1980). Attention and the detection of signals.Journal of Experimental Psychology: General,109, 160–174.
Ress, D., Backus, B. T., &Heeger, D. J. (2000). Activity in primary visual cortex predicts performance in a visual detection task.Nature Neuroscience,3, 940–945.
Schneider, W. (1988). Micro Experimental Laboratory: An integrated system for IBM PC compatibles.Behavior Research Methods, Instruments, & Computers,20, 206–217.
Sternberg, S. (1966). High-speed scanning in human memory.Science,153, 652–654.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding authors
Additional information
This research was financially supported by the Spanish Ministerio de Educación y Cultura with Predoctoral Grant FPU-AP2000-3167 to the first author and by Research Grants MCyT, BSO2000-1503 and BSO2002-04308-C02-02 to J.L. and MCyT, BSO2000-1411-C02 to P.T.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Correa, Á., Lupiáñez, J. & Tudela, P. Attentional preparation based on temporal expectancy modulates processing at the perceptual level. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review 12, 328–334 (2005). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03196380
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03196380