Differential Modulation of Attention by Aversive Associative and Statistical Learning in Distinct Visual Search Modes

Selection history significantly influences attentional processes. Current debates center on whether different components of selection history influence attention through shared learning-dependent mechanisms or via independent mechanisms. Recent research suggests that aversive associative learning and statistical learning, two key components of selection history, modulate attentional selection independently. The present study investigates how these two components influence attentional selection under different search strategies. In Experiment 1, participants engaged in a singleton detection task, searching for a unique shape singleton while ignoring an irrelevant color singleton. In Experiment 2, they employed a feature search strategy, targeting a predefined attribute among varied shapes while disregarding a distracting color singleton. Results showed that under the singleton detection mode, two learning processes exert independent effects on attentional selection toward salient distractors. Conversely, under the feature search mode, the two learning processes interacted, with the interaction primarily driven by aversive associative learning. These findings highlight the critical role of search strategies in modulating how selection history affects attentional processes. They offer new insights into the mechanisms of attentional selection and the interplay between different forms of learning in complex visual search environments.