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Sequential effects in continued visual search: Using fixation‐related potentials to compare distractor processing before and after target detection
Author(s) -
Körner Christof,
Braunstein Verena,
Stangl Matthias,
Schlögl Alois,
Neuper Christa,
Ischebeck Anja
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
psychophysiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.661
H-Index - 156
eISSN - 1469-8986
pISSN - 0048-5772
DOI - 10.1111/psyp.12062
Subject(s) - visual search , psychology , fixation (population genetics) , memorization , cognitive psychology , eye movement , information processing , selective attention , working memory , visual processing , communication , neuroscience , cognition , perception , population , demography , sociology
To search for a target in a complex environment is an everyday behavior that ends with finding the target. When we search for two identical targets, however, we must continue the search after finding the first target and memorize its location. We used fixation‐related potentials to investigate the neural correlates of different stages of the search, that is, before and after finding the first target. Having found the first target influenced subsequent distractor processing. Compared to distractor fixations before the first target fixation, a negative shift was observed for three subsequent distractor fixations. These results suggest that processing a target in continued search modulates the brain's response, either transiently by reflecting temporary working memory processes or permanently by reflecting working memory retention.