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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.
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Controlled processes in human consciousness represent high-alert mental states where individuals deliberately focus their attention on achieving specific goals. Controlled processes can be seen in situations like mastering new technology, where a person might become so absorbed that they ignore surrounding distractions. Such processes involve selective attention, requiring one to concentrate on particular elements of experience while disregarding others. These are governed by executive...
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The concept of subconscious awareness refers to the processing of information below the level of conscious thought, which significantly influences both behaviors and decisions. It is also known as waking subconscious awareness. This complex level of cognition operates without the direct awareness of the individual, facilitating rapid and simultaneous handling of multiple information streams.
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 20, 2026

Using Rapid Serial Visual Presentation to Measure Set-Specific Capture, a Consequence of Distraction While Multitasking
05:58

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Published on: August 29, 2018

Simultaneous control of attention by multiple working memory representations.

Valerie M Beck1, Andrew Hollingworth, Steven J Luck

  • 1University of California, Davis, USA. valerie-beck@uiowa.edu

Psychological Science
|July 5, 2012
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Multiple working memory representations can guide attention simultaneously. When motivated to attend to both colors, observers frequently switched gaze without delay, unlike when attending to one color at a time.

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Area of Science:

  • Cognitive Psychology
  • Neuroscience
  • Visual Perception

Background:

  • Working memory (WM) is crucial for directing attention to relevant stimuli.
  • Previous research suggested that only a single WM representation can guide attention at any given moment.
  • Visual working memory capacity is limited to approximately three to four objects.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate whether multiple working memory representations can concurrently guide visual attention.
  • To test the hypothesis that only one object representation can control attention at a time.

Main Methods:

  • Participants performed a visual search task, focusing on objects of specific colors.
  • Eye movements were monitored to track gaze shifts and reaction times.
  • Task conditions manipulated the motivation to attend to one versus two colors simultaneously.

Main Results:

  • When motivated to attend to one color, participants exhibited long runs of searching items of that color and a significant switch cost when changing colors.
  • When motivated to attend to both colors, participants frequently switched gaze between colors (short run lengths) and showed no switch cost.
  • These findings indicate that multiple representations can guide attention simultaneously.

Conclusions:

  • Contrary to previous suggestions, multiple working memory representations can indeed guide attention concurrently.
  • The ability to attend to multiple objects simultaneously depends on the observer's motivation and task demands.
  • This study challenges the notion of a strict single-attentional bottleneck controlled by working memory.