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Within-Subject Manipulations Of Proactive Control Do Not Change Negative Templates Benefits: Exploring the Effect Of
Matthieu Chidharom1, Matt Tong1, Nancy B Carlisle1
1Department of Psychology, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, 18015, USA.
Abstract:
Negative templates come from foreknowledge of distractor-features and lead to improved performance during visual search. Recent studies have better characterized the mechanisms underlying these benefits, by showing a critical role of proactive control mechanisms in negative template use. The goal of this study was to test if state-based fluctuations of proactive control play a role in the use of negative templates. To do so, we engaged participants on a visual search task. We used motivation (e.g. rewards) to induce within-individual fluctuations of proactive control efficiency. We replicated previous findings for the positive templates, with faster RT to find the target during periods of high- compared to low-reward conditions. Interestingly, for negative templates, we failed to find evidence for an effect of motivation on the use of negative templates, even when a motivation condition led to faster RTs. Taken together, these results bring new evidence that using negative templates is not modulated by within-individual fluctuations of proactive engagement and are likely more related to trait-based aspects of an individual's ability to engage proactive control efficiently.
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