Contextual cues can be used to predict the likelihood of and reduce interference from salient distractors.

ABSTRACT: Our attention can sometimes be disrupted by salient but irrelevant objects in the environment. This distractor interference can be reduced when distractors appear frequently, allowing us to anticipate their presence. However, it remains unknown whether distractor frequency can be learned implicitly across distinct contexts. In other words, can we implicitly learn that in certain situations a distractor is more likely to appear, and use that knowledge to minimize the impact that the distractor has on our behavior? In two experiments, we explored this question by asking participants to find a unique shape target in displays that could contain a color singleton distractor. Forest or city backgrounds were presented on each trial, and unbeknownst to the participants, each image category was ass

SUBMITTER: Moher J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11865179 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature