Cross-modal semantic and non-semantic distraction impairs auditory working memory: Behavioral and ERP evidence

Visual distraction often disrupts auditory working memory, but it remains unclear whether semantic and non-semantic distractors interfere through similar or distinct neural mechanisms. This study used event-related potentials (ERPs) to examine the neural dynamics of semantic and non-semantic visual distractors during an auditory working memory task. Thirty nine healthy adults performed a paced auditory serial addition task (PASAT) while exposed to either semantic (digits) or non-semantic (abstract symbols) visual distractors. Behavioral results showed that both distractor types impaired accuracy, with semantic distractors producing longer reaction times and higher omission rates. ERP analyses revealed that both distractor types elicited enhanced P200 amplitudes and prolonged N200 and P300 latencies, reflecting shared early attentional capture and delayed stimulus evaluation. Semantic distractors further induced stronger N200 negativity at frontal sites and shortened P200 latencies, suggesting rapid semantic access and increased conflict detection demands, whereas only non-semantic distractors reduced P300 amplitudes, indicating reactive resource reallocation. Importantly, greater reductions in P300 amplitude were associated with slower responses in the semantic distractor condition. These findings demonstrate that semantic and non-semantic distractors engage partially overlapping but functionally distinct neural processes, emphasizing the importance of distractor content and processing stage in models of cross-modal cognitive control.