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Updated: Jul 16, 2026

A Cognitive Paradigm to Investigate Interference in Working Memory by Distractions and Interruptions
Published on: July 16, 2015
Going against the grain: regulatory focus and interference by task-irrelevant information
Martijn A de Lange1, Ad van Knippenberg
1Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen, The Netherlands. M.delange@psych.ru.nl
Abstract:
In this study it is argued that a perceiver's regulatory focus (promotion or prevention) influences the amount of attention allocated to processing stimuli from the environment. Results of two experiments, employing an interference task and using different manipulations of regulatory focus, supported this idea. More attention was allocated to stimuli incompatible with the activated focus (promotion-negative stimuli, prevention-positive stimuli). The incompatible stimuli therefore interfered more with an ongoing task than compatible stimuli. These results are discussed in terms of processing efficiency and integrated with motor-compatibility effects.
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