Shielding working-memory representations from temporally predictable external interference.

ABSTRACT: Protecting working-memory content from distracting external sensory inputs and intervening tasks is an ubiquitous demand in daily life. Here, we ask whether and how temporal expectations about external events can help mitigate effects of such interference during working-memory retention. We manipulated the temporal predictability of interfering items that occurred during the retention period of a visual working-memory task and report that temporal expectations reduce the detrimental influence of external interference on subsequent memory performance. Moreover, to determine if the protective effects of temporal expectations rely on distractor suppression or involve shielding of internal representations, we compared effects after irrelevant distractors that could be ignored vs. interrupters

SUBMITTER: Gresch D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8543071 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature