To find out whether attentional capture by irrelevant but salient visual objects is an exogenous bottom-up phenomenon, or can be modulated current task set, two experiments were conducted where the N2pc component was measured as electrophysiological marker of selection in response to spatially uninformative color singleton cues that preceded target arrays. When observers had report orientation a uniquely colored bar among distractor bars (color task), behavioral spatial cueing effects...

Abstract The N2pc component has recently become a popular tool in attention research. To investigate whether this exclusively reflects attentional target selection or also prior stages processing (covert orienting, target‐unspecific spatial attention), cuing procedure was combined with visual search task. In some blocks, informative cues indicated the side of upcoming singleton targets that were present on most trials among uniform distractors. other spatially uninformative, and no...

We examined visual search for color singleton targets, whose shape was discriminated. Critically, we varied the reward priority of colors (correct fast performance worth more bonus points red singletons than green singletons, or vice versa) to test whether event-related potential signatures selection can be affected by distinct priorities different target types, even when every has selected report. The N2pc component earlier and larger high- low-reward targets. This influence on correlated...

We measured the N2pc component as an electrophysiological indicator of attentional selection to investigate whether fearful faces can attract attention even when they are entirely task-irrelevant and is focused on another demanding visual monitoring task. Participants had detect infrequent luminance changes fixation cross, while ignoring stimulus arrays containing a face singleton (a among neutral faces, or faces) left right fixation. On trials without target change, was elicited by...

The question whether attentional capture by salient but task-irrelevant visual stimuli is triggered in a bottom-up fashion or depends on top-down task settings still unresolved. Strong support for was obtained the additional singleton task, which search arrays were visible until response onset. Equally strong evidence control of spatial cueing experiments display durations very brief. To demonstrate critical role temporal demands salience-driven capture, we measured ERP indicators color...

To investigate whether facial expression is processed in the absence of conscious awareness, ERPs were recorded a task which participants had to identify masked fearful and neutral target faces. On supraliminal trials (200 ms duration), identification performance was high, sustained positivity versus faces started 140 after face onset. subliminal (8 at chance level, but still showed systematic fear-specific effects. An early present smaller than on trials. A subsequent enhanced N2 only for...

We investigated the roles of top-down task set and bottom-up stimulus salience for feature-specific attentional capture.Spatially nonpredictive cues preceded search arrays that included a color-defined target.For target-color singleton cues, behavioral spatial cueing effects were accompanied by cueinduced N2pc components, indicative capture.These only minimally attenuated nonsingleton underlining dominance over in capture.Nontarget-color triggered no N2pc, but instead an anterior N2...

To study the response profile of face-selective N170 component, an adaptation procedure was employed where adaptor and test stimuli were presented in rapid succession. Test came from 4 different face categories (upright, inverted, eyeless faces eyes-only images). The same stimuli, as well upright inverted houses, served adaptors. Strong amplitude reductions indicative found for all types preceded by adaptors relative to house adaptors, demonstrating that at a generic level, reflects...

In cross-dimensional visual search tasks, target discrimination is faster when the previous trial contained a defined in same dimension as current trial. The dimension-weighting account (DWA; A. Found & H. J. Müller, 1996) explains this intertrial facilitation by assuming that dimensions are weighted at an early perceptual stage of processing. Recently, view has been challenged models claiming effects generated later stages follow attentional selection (K. Mortier, Theeuwes, P. Starreveld,...

To investigate whether attentional capture by salient visual stimuli is mediated current task sets, we measured the N2pc component as a marker of spatial locus attention during search. In each trial, singleton stimulus that could either be target (color task: red circle; shape green diamond) or nontarget (blue circle square) was presented among uniform distractors (green circles). As predicted view contingent on set, strongly affected instructions. It maximal for targets, attenuated but...

To gain insight into the neural basis of visual attention, we combined transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and event-related potentials (ERPs) during a search task. Single-pulse TMS over right posterior parietal cortex (rPPC) delayed response times to targets conjunction search, this behavioral effect had direct ERP correlate. The early phase N2pc component that reflects focusing attention onto target locations in display was eliminated hemisphere when applied there but present delivered...

Previous research has demonstrated that the maintenance of visual information in working memory is associated with a sustained posterior contralateral negativity. Here we show this component also elicited during spatially selective access to memory. Participants memorized bilateral search array contained two potential targets on left and right side. The task-relevant side was signalled by post-cues were presented either 150 ms after offset or longer interval (700-1000 ms). Enhanced...

Links between attention and emotion were investigated by obtaining electrophysiological measures of attentional selectivity together with behavioral affective evaluation. Participants asked to rate faces that had just been presented as targets or distractors in a visual search task. Distractors rated less trustworthy than targets. To study the association efficiency selective during subsequent emotional responses, N2pc component was quantified function evaluative judgments. Evaluation...

To study links between the inhibition of motor responses and emotional evaluation, we combined electrophysiological measures prefrontal response with behavioural affective evaluation. Participants first performed a Go-Nogo task in to Asian Caucasian faces (with race determining their Go or Nogo status), followed by trustworthiness rating for each face. Faces previously seen as stimuli were rated less trustworthy than previous stimuli. efficiency subsequent evaluations, N2 component was...

When target-defining features are specified in advance, attentional target selection visual search is controlled by preparatory top-down task sets. We used ERP measures to study voluntary the absence of such feature-specific sets, and compare it that guided advance knowledge about features. Visual arrays contained two different color singleton digits, participants had select one these as report its parity. Target was either known (fixed task) or be selected anew on each trial (free...

Abstract The question whether attentional capture by salient visual stimuli is driven bottom‐up salience or contingent on top‐down task set still under dispute. We show that the ability of size singletons to attention determined current search goals. Participants searched for small large target among medium‐size distractors. Attentional singleton cues preceded displays was reflected spatial cueing effects and N2pc components. These were observed only when these matched target‐defining...

Although it is well established that prior experience with faces determines their subsequent social–emotional evaluation, recent work shows top-down inhibitory mechanisms, including response inhibition, can lead to social devaluation after even a single, brief exposure. These rapidly induced effects indicate interplay among perceptual, attentional, response-selection and networks; yet, the brain mechanisms underlying this are not understood. This study used functional magnetic resonance...