工作记忆表征对视觉注意的影响：基于非目标模板的视角

Li, Yangzhuo; Yang, Xucheng; Gao, Hong; Gao, Xiangping · 2018 · OpenAlex-citations

DOI: 10.3724/sp.j.1042.2018.01608

archive: archived pipeline: cataloged verified

Get this paper ↗ (DOI — opens at the source; we link to it, we don't host it)

Summary

This review paper examines how visual working memory (VWM) representations influence selective attention during visual search, specifically focusing on "non-target templates"—stimuli held in memory that are irrelevant to the current search goal. While target templates guide attention top-down, the impact of non-target templates remains debated. The authors synthesize behavioral and electrophysiological evidence to determine whether non-target representations automatically capture attention or are actively suppressed to improve search efficiency. The review analyzes studies utilizing dual-task paradigms where participants maintain a visual stimulus in memory while performing a visual search task. Key methodologies include measuring reaction times, eye movements, and event-related potentials (ERPs), particularly the N2pc component (indicating early attentional capture) and the Pd component (indicating later attentional suppression). The authors categorize findings based on experimental variables, including paradigm type (binary-stimulus vs. unitary-stimulus), task difficulty (perceptual load), stimulus characteristics (salience, reward association), and cognitive control levels (motivation, preparation time). The findings reveal a dual mechanism: non-target templates can automatically capture attention, but individuals can also form "reject templates" to actively suppress these distractors. Automatic capture is more prevalent in binary-stimulus paradigms, low perceptual load conditions, and when cognitive control is insufficient. Conversely, active suppression is observed in unitary-stimulus paradigms, high perceptual load conditions, and when distractors are highly salient or associated with high rewards. Electrophysiological data suggest that while early automatic capture (N2pc) often occurs, subsequent suppression (Pd) can mitigate its impact, especially when motivation or cognitive control is high. However, early capture is rarely fully eliminated. The paper concludes that the influence of non-target templates is complex and modulated by multiple factors. It highlights unresolved questions regarding the nature of "reject templates" (whether they rely on feature or spatial coding), the specific role of reward in attentional selection, and individual differences in self-regulation. The authors recommend future research expand beyond simple geometric stimuli to ecologically valid materials and further refine variable manipulation to better understand the neural mechanisms of attentional control.

Provenance

The full processing record for this entry. Every stage of this paper's journey through the pipeline is logged — what ran, with which tool and model, how many attempts it took, and when it last completed.

Summary generated by qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant on 2026-06-25; verification: verified.

Topics

Ranked by relevance to this paper. Hover a topic for its definition.

• visual search
• attention selective divided