Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 18, 2025
08:42
Design and Implementation of an fMRI Study Examining Thought Suppression in Young Women with, and At-risk, for Depression
Published on: May 19, 2015
10.9K
Proactive suppression and its boundaries: Examining the conditions for successful top-down control.
Tong Xie1, Fengnan Chen1, Shimin Fu1
1Department of Psychology, School of Education, Guangzhou University.
Summary
Proactive suppression of visual attention can fail when search modes conflict or when distractors lack sufficient salience. This study identifies key boundaries for effective top-down attentional control.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Visual Attention
- Human Perception
Background:
- Attention is often captured by salient distractors.
- Top-down control allows proactive suppression of distractors.
- The limits of proactive suppression are not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the boundaries of proactive suppression of visual attention.
- To examine the influence of search modes and distractor salience on suppression effectiveness.
- To identify conditions under which proactive suppression fails.
Main Methods:
- Four experiments utilized the additional singleton paradigm.
- Manipulated search modes (singleton-search vs. feature-search).
- Varied target-distractor configurations and distractor salience (static, dynamic, low, high).
Main Results:
- Proactive suppression failed with inconsistent search modes.
- Suppression remained effective with rapid, trial-by-trial variations.
- Suppression was effective for high-salience distractors but failed for low-salience or dynamic distractors.
Conclusions:
- Proactive suppression is robust but has defined operational boundaries.
- Effectiveness depends on consistent search modes and sufficient distractor salience.
- Dynamic distractors and low salience compromise proactive attentional control.
Related Concept Videos
02:45Self-Discrepancy Theory
18.5K
One influential perspective on what motivates people's behavior is detailed in Tory Higgin's self-discrepancy theory (Higgins, 1987). He proposed that people hold disagreeing internal representations of themselves that lead to different emotional states.
18.5K
01:10Control Systems
1.4K
Control systems are everywhere in contemporary society, influencing diverse applications from aerospace to automated manufacturing. These systems can be found naturally within biological processes, such as blood sugar regulation and heart rate adjustment in response to stress, as well as in man-made systems like elevators and automated vehicles. A control system is essentially a network of subsystems and processes that collaboratively convert specific inputs into desired outputs.
At the heart...
At the heart...
1.4K
01:52Eukaryotic Transcription Inhibitors
10.0K
Certain biochemical processes, such as embryonic development and cell growth regulation, depend on the repression of specific genes. DNA binding proteins known as eukaryotic transcription inhibitors regulate the repression of gene expression in eukaryotes. The presence of these inhibitors at the required location and time in the cell is triggered by the presence of hormones and additional signals from other cells.
Eukaryotic transcription inhibitors usually contain two distinct domains, a...
Eukaryotic transcription inhibitors usually contain two distinct domains, a...
10.0K
01:07Time-Domain Interpretation of PD Control
183
Proportional-Derivative (PD) control is a widely used control method in various engineering systems to enhance stability and performance. In a system with only proportional control, common issues include high maximum overshoot and oscillation, observed in both the error signal and its rate of change. This behavior can be divided into three distinct phases: initial overshoot, subsequent undershoot, and gradual stabilization.
Consider the example of control of motor torque. Initially, a positive...
Consider the example of control of motor torque. Initially, a positive...
183
00:46Feedback Inhibition
54.7K
Biochemical reactions are occurring constantly in cells, converting starting substances to different products, usually with the help of enzymes that speed the reactions. Without enzymes, it would take far too long for most reactions to occur to be useful to the cell!
54.7K
02:04Co-activators and Co-repressors
2.5K
2.5K