Singleton effect decreases under time pressure: An fNIRS study

Brain Cogn. 2023 Aug 9;171:106074. doi: 10.1016/j.bandc.2023.106074. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTTime pressure affects multiple cognitive processes but how it affects attention capture remains unclear. Two experiments were carried out in the present study to assess whether time pressure prevents attention from capturing by salient distractors and explore the underlying neural mechanisms using functional near-infrared spectroscopy. The results of behavioral tests showed that the singleton effect decreased (Experiment 2) or even disappeared (Experiment 1) when the subject was under time pressure. Neuroimaging data showed that under time pressure, a salient distractor elicited greater activation in the left middle frontal gyrus/inferior frontal gyrus and bilateral superior parietal lobule, brain areas that are thought to be involved in cognitive inhibition and control of spatial attentional shifts. These findings suggest that the reduction or disappearance of the singleton effect under time pressure results from enhanced inhibition of and/or accelerated disengagement from salient distractors.PMID:37566997 | DOI:10.1016/j.bandc.2023.106074

Source: Brain and Cognition - August 11, 2023 Category: Neurology Authors: Yujie Li Susu Wang Qianqian Shan Xingxing Xia Source Type: research