Search strategy modulates memory-driven capture.

Abstract

This study explores how different search strategies impact memory-driven attentional capture, utilizing two experiments. In the first experiment, participants performed a feature search, concentrating on a specific shape during visual search. Results showed that a distractor matching the color in working memory significantly captured attention, demonstrating a strong memory-driven capture effect. The second experiment involved a singleton detection mode, focusing primarily on the bottom-up processing of shape singletons during visual search. This mode resulted in less memory-driven attentional capture compared to the feature search, indicating that top-down processes such as working memory enhance memory-driven capture. These findings suggest that internal attentional settings, like the reliance on top-down versus bottom-up processing during searches, can influence the degree of memory-driven capture. The study offers new insights into the intricate interplay between attention, memory, and search strategies.