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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 18, 2025

A Cognitive Paradigm to Investigate Interference in Working Memory by Distractions and Interruptions

A Cognitive Paradigm to Investigate Interference in Working Memory by Distractions and Interruptions

Published on: July 16, 2015

Shielding working-memory representations from temporally predictable external interference.

Daniela Gresch¹, Sage E P Boettcher¹, Freek van Ede²

¹Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Oxford Centre for Human Brain Activity, Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.

|October 2, 2021

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Temporal expectations protect working memory by reducing interference from external distractions. This shielding mechanism helps maintain information, even when memory is interrupted, highlighting the role of timing in cognitive control.

Keywords:

Attention Distraction Interruption Temporal expectation Working memory

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Last Updated: Oct 18, 2025

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Area of Science:

Cognitive Psychology
Neuroscience
Human Memory

Background:

Working memory (WM) is crucial for daily tasks, but susceptible to interference from external stimuli.
Understanding how to protect WM content from distractions is vital for cognitive function.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate whether temporal expectations can mitigate interference during working memory retention.
To explore the mechanisms (distractor suppression vs. memory shielding) underlying the protective effects of temporal expectations.

Main Methods:

A visual working memory task was employed with manipulated temporal predictability of interfering items.
Interference was introduced via irrelevant distractors (requiring no response) and interrupters (requiring a response).

Main Results:

Temporal expectations significantly reduced the negative impact of external interference on working memory performance.
Similar protective benefits were observed for both ignored distractors and response-requiring interrupters.
This suggests that temporal expectations engage mechanisms beyond simple distractor suppression.

Conclusions:

Temporal expectations play a key role in safeguarding working memory content from external interference.
The findings support a role for memory shielding, where internal representations are actively protected.
Timing-based cognitive control mechanisms are essential for maintaining working memory integrity.