摘要：  PURPOSE: In the current study, we modified classic Stroop and Flanker paradigms by introducing a singleton cue to explore whether the singleton would facilitate or impair participants' performance in conflict processing. When people switch attention resources from singleton cue to the task target, they experience two phases called attention capture (bottom-up) and attention disengagement (top-down). The results of these experiments would elucidate psychological mechanism underling the effect of singleton cue on the two phases of attentional switch.
MEHODS: In the Stroop task, 5 segments consisted of a vertical line with/without a color singleton in the cue phase. Next, participants were required to response to the orientation (up/down) of an arrow presented at the top/bottom of the vertical array during the target phase (Fig. 1). Hence, attention needs to be disengaged from the singleton quickly and switch to the target. In the Flanker task, after the same cue phase as the Stroop task, participants were required to response to the orientation (up/down) of the center arrow in the array of five vertical arrows (congruent/incongruent direction) (Fig. 2). Participants' accuracy and reaction times were recorded.
RESULTS: In both Stroop and Flanker tasks, the singleton cue showed significant effect such that the presence of the singleton affected the task performance. The interaction between singleton location and congruency was also significant. Interestingly, singletons closer to the target facilitated the conflict processing, while singletons farther away from the target impaired the conflict processing.
CONCLUSIONS: The singleton cue attracts attention due to its salience. This bottom-up capture may facilitate the conflict processing if it coincides with the target location, but hinder the conflict processing if attention needs to be disengaged from the singleton to the target location. This suggests that bottom-up attention capture and top-down executive control interact with each other to direct attention and resolve conflict.

关键词:  , Stroop, Flanker, singleton, attention capture, disengagement

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