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Related Concept Videos

Working Memory01:24

Working Memory

Working memory refers to a combination of components, including short-term memory and attention, that allow an individual to hold information temporarily as we perform cognitive tasks. It is an essential cognitive function that enables the execution of complex tasks such as problem-solving, comprehension, and reasoning. Unlike short-term memory, which simply involves the storage of information for a brief period, working memory involves the active manipulation and processing of this information.
Visual Agnosia01:12

Visual Agnosia

Visual agnosia is a condition characterized by the inability to recognize visually presented objects despite having normal vision. For instance, a person with visual agnosia can describe the shape and color of an object but cannot identify or name it. This impairment does not affect their visual field, acuity, color vision, brightness discrimination, language, or memory. An example of this condition in a social setting is someone at a dinner party asking for "that silver thing with a round end"...

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Related Experiment Video

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Brain Imaging Investigation of the Impairing Effect of Emotion on Cognition
16:08

Brain Imaging Investigation of the Impairing Effect of Emotion on Cognition

Published on: February 1, 2012

Distractor devaluation requires visual working memory.

Brian A Goolsby1, Kimron L Shapiro, Jane E Raymond

  • 1Bangor University, Bangor, Wales.

Psychonomic Bulletin & Review
|January 16, 2009
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Previously ignored visual search distractors are rated negatively. This distractor-devaluation effect requires visual working memory (WM), as increased WM load eliminated the negative evaluation, suggesting memory for associations influences affective responses.

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Last Updated: Jun 26, 2026

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Area of Science:

  • Cognitive Psychology
  • Neuroscience
  • Visual Perception

Background:

  • Visual search tasks involve identifying targets among distractors.
  • Distractors in visual search are subsequently evaluated more negatively than targets (distractor-devaluation effect).
  • This effect may involve attentional inhibition and require visual working memory (WM).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of visual working memory (WM) in the distractor-devaluation effect.
  • To determine if active association of attentional states with stimuli requires WM resources.
  • To assess if memory for these associations influences affective responses.

Main Methods:

  • Participants performed a visual search task under varying visual WM load conditions.
  • Affective evaluations of previously seen distractors and targets were measured.
  • A memory array and test array were used to manipulate and assess WM load.

Main Results:

  • Distractor devaluation was observed under low and no WM load conditions.
  • The distractor-devaluation effect was absent when participants experienced a high WM load.
  • This indicates that WM resources are necessary for the distractor-devaluation effect.

Conclusions:

  • Active association of attentional states with visual stimuli requires WM.
  • Memory for these associations plays a crucial role in shaping affective responses.
  • Attentional inhibition during search and subsequent memory are key components of distractor devaluation.