Abstract:

Visual working memory (VWM), constrained by limited capacity, requires flexible selection and prioritization of internal information, with the directional regulation of internal attention being essential to this process. Traditional research has primarily attributed VWM performance to limitations in encoding or storage capacity, overlooking the critical role of internal attention in managing information within VWM, such as the dynamic reshaping of representation priorities during the maintenance phase. While the retro-cue benefit (RCB) has garnered attention as a manifestation of the internal attention selection advantage, it is often explained through a single-mechanism lens, without a systematic integration of multiple mechanisms. This study, based on the retro-cue paradigm within the continuous resource model framework, synthesizes behavioral and neurophysiological evidence to present a theoretical framework for understanding the mechanisms and factors underlying the emergence of internal attention selection advantages in VWM. The main contributions of this work are as follows:

The generation of RCB is not driven by a single factor but results from the interaction of three core mechanisms: consolidation sufficiency, sustained attention, and decision-stage information accumulation. Consolidation sufficiency is a prerequisite for the effectiveness of retro-cues, regulating early resource availability and stabilizing memory representations. Retro-cues can only effectively reallocate attention resources when memory representations have not yet reached full consolidation. Sustained attention plays a critical role in maintaining the internal attention selection advantage by resisting external interference, optimizing resource allocation, and preserving or reconstructing the prioritization of target representations. The accumulation of decision-stage information determines how this advantage translates into observable behavioral performance. This occurs by optimizing the efficiency of information accumulation, enhancing decision-making quality, and converting decision evidence into behavioral outputs. Thus, the formation of RCB can be understood as a continuous process of dynamic resource investment, maintenance, and transformation across different stages of VWM processing.

The study also clarifies the four key categories of factors influencing the internal attention selection advantage: temporal progression, memory item changes, cue variations, and external interference. Temporal progression influences the protective effects of retro-cues on target representations, the sequencing of cognitive processing, and resistance to external interference, through three key sub-factors: Cue-Test Interval (CTI), Retro-cue Interval (RI), and Stimulus Onset Asynchrony (SOA). Memory item changes include memory load and the perceptual features of the items. Memory load alters the intensity of internal resource competition, while perceptual features influence the selective maintenance of internal attention by adjusting the processing weight of target and non-target features, thus impacting RCB. Variations in the number and type of retro-cues also play a crucial role: the number of retro-cues reshapes resource allocation strategies, while the type regulates attention distribution strategies. External interference, such as perceptual disruptions and dual-task interference, weakens the stability of attention maintenance and reduces internal attention control efficiency by depleting cognitive resources. Notably, these factors interact with the core mechanisms, dynamically influencing the emergence of internal attention selection advantages and shaping individual behavioral outcomes.

A multi-level integrated cognitive model is proposed, which outlines, for the first time, the interactions and pathways between mechanisms and influencing factors. Each of the three core mechanisms is predominantly influenced by three of the four categories of factors and their sub-factors, with interactions among these factors creating a comprehensive regulatory effect. Moreover, by integrating cognitive neuroscience evidence, the study clarifies neural pathways formed by the collaboration of the occipital visual cortex, posterior parietal cortex (PPC), prefrontal cortex (PFC), and the striatum, providing a neural basis for the realization of internal attention selection and its advantages in VWM.

In conclusion, this study offers a novel theoretical framework for understanding the emergence of internal attention selection advantages in VWM. Future research could combine neuroimaging and modulation techniques to explore active inhibition mechanisms, complex stimulus processing, and internal attention characteristics in populations with neurodevelopmental disorders, providing deeper insights into human cognitive processes.

Key words: visual working memory, internal attention, internal-attention advantage, retro-cue, retro-cue paradigm