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Testing individual differences in the preparation effect
Koby Lindzen1, Roy Shoval2,3, Tal Makovski1
1Department of Education and Psychology, The Open University of Israel, University Rd. 1 , 4353701, Ra'anana, Israel.
Attention, Perception & Psychophysics
|December 2, 2025
Summary
People do not inhibit upcoming distractors but become more alert. This preparation effect is rigid and unaffected by working memory capacity or selective attention abilities, suggesting a mandatory processing mechanism.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Human Attention Studies
Background:
- The preparation effect describes heightened alertness to upcoming distractors, rather than active inhibition.
- Individual differences may influence the magnitude of this preparation effect.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate individual differences in the preparation effect.
- To determine if the preparation effect correlates with working memory capacity or selective attention abilities.
Main Methods:
- Conducted two large, online, pre-registered studies.
- Assessed the relationship between the preparation effect and measures of working memory and selective attention.
Main Results:
- The magnitude of the preparation effect showed no correlation with working memory capacity.
- The preparation effect was also not related to the ability to filter irrelevant information.
- Increased preparation did not alter interference from distractor displays.
Conclusions:
- The preparation effect appears rigid and independent of working memory capacity and selective attention.
- Findings support a mandatory 'process-all mechanism' underlying the preparation effect.
- The preparation effect does not influence distractor rejection.
Keywords:
AlertnessIndividual differencesPreparation effectSelective attentionWorking memory capacityMore Related Videos
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