scholarly journals Exogenous attention facilitates performance through dissociable sensitivity and bias mechanisms

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vishak Sagar ◽  
Ranit Sengupta ◽  
Devarajan Sridharan
Keyword(s):  
Reaction Times ◽  
Neural Correlates ◽  
Exogenous Attention ◽  
High Contrast ◽  
Perceptual Sensitivity ◽  
Detection Model ◽  
Exogenous Cueing ◽  
Multiple Alternative ◽  
Choice Bias ◽  
Spatial Locations

AbstractSelective attention enables prioritizing the most important information for differential sensory processing and decision-making. Here, we address an active debate regarding whether attention reflects a unitary phenomenon or involves the operation of dissociable sensory enhancement (perceptual sensitivity) and decisional gating (choice bias) processes. We developed a multialternative task in which participants detected and localized orientation changes in gratings at one of four spatial locations. Exogenous attention cues (high contrast flashes) preceded or followed the change events in close temporal proximity. Analysis of participants’ behavior with a multidimensional signal detection model revealed markedly distinct effects of exogenous cueing on perceptual sensitivity and choice bias. Whereas sensitivity enhancement was localized to the stimulus proximal to the exogenous cue, bias enhancement occurred even for distal stimuli in the cued hemifield. Modulations of sensitivity and bias were uncorrelated at both cued and uncued locations. Finally, exogenous cueing produced reaction time benefits only at the cued location and costs only at locations contralateral to the cue. These disparate effects of exogenous cueing on sensitivity, bias and reaction times could be parsimoniously explained within the framework of a diffusion-decision model, in which the drift rate was determined by a linear combination of sensitivity and bias at each location. Exogenous cueing effects on sensitivity and bias differed systematically from previously reported effects of endogenous cueing. We propose that the search for shared neural substrates of exogenous and endogenous attention would benefit from investigating neural correlates of their component sensory and decisional mechanisms.Significance statementWhen we voluntarily direct attention “endogenously”, we are able to better perceive stimuli at the attended location (sensitivity), and to prioritize information from that location for guiding behavioral decisions (bias). But when a salient stimulus, such as a flash of lightning, captures our attention “exogenously”, does it also produce these same effects? To answer this question, we designed a multiple alternative task in which task events occurred in close conjunction with salient exogenous cues (high contrast flashes). We discovered that exogenous attention enhanced both sensitivity and bias for cued stimuli, but each of these changes followed distinct spatial patterns across locations. Our results provide novel insights into component processes of exogenous attention and motivate the search for their neural correlates.

scholarly journals Sensory and decisional components of endogenous attention are dissociable

2019 ◽  
Vol 122 (4) ◽  
pp. 1538-1554 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sanjna Banerjee ◽  
Shrey Grover ◽  
Suhas Ganesh ◽  
Devarajan Sridharan
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Spatial Attention ◽  
Behavioral Model ◽  
Neural Correlates ◽  
Endogenous Attention ◽  
Perceptual Sensitivity ◽  
Spatial Choice ◽  
Attention Task ◽  
Choice Bias ◽  
Differential Risk

Endogenous cueing of attention enhances sensory processing of the attended stimulus (perceptual sensitivity) and prioritizes information from the attended location for guiding behavioral decisions (spatial choice bias). Here, we test whether sensitivity and bias effects of endogenous spatial attention are under the control of common or distinct mechanisms. Human observers performed a multialternative visuospatial attention task with probabilistic spatial cues. Observers’ behavioral choices were analyzed with a recently developed multidimensional signal detection model (the m-ADC model). The model effectively decoupled the effects of spatial cueing on sensitivity from those on spatial bias and revealed striking dissociations between them. Sensitivity was highest at the cued location and not significantly different among uncued locations, suggesting a spotlight-like allocation of sensory resources at the cued location. On the other hand, bias varied systematically with cue validity, suggesting a graded allocation of decisional priority across locations. Cueing-induced modulations of sensitivity and bias were uncorrelated within and across subjects. Bias, but not sensitivity, correlated with key metrics of prioritized decision-making, including reaction times and decision optimality indices. In addition, we developed a novel metric, differential risk curvature, for distinguishing bias effects of attention from those of signal expectation. Differential risk curvature correlated selectively with m-ADC model estimates of bias but not with estimates of sensitivity. Our results reveal dissociable effects of endogenous attention on perceptual sensitivity and choice bias in a multialternative choice task and motivate the search for the distinct neural correlates of each. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Attention is often studied as a unitary phenomenon. Yet, attention can both enhance the perception of important stimuli (sensitivity) and prioritize such stimuli for decision-making (bias). Employing a multialternative spatial attention task with probabilistic cueing, we show that attention affects sensitivity and bias through dissociable mechanisms. Specifically, the effects on sensitivity alone match the notion of an attentional “spotlight.” Our behavioral model enables quantifying component processes of attention, and identifying their respective neural correlates.

scholarly journals Sensory and decisional components of endogenous attention are dissociable

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sanjna Banerjee ◽  
Shrey Grover ◽  
Suhas Ganesh ◽  
Devarajan Sridharan
Keyword(s):  
Sensory Processing ◽  
Reaction Times ◽  
Optimal Decision ◽  
Endogenous Attention ◽  
Attention Task ◽  
Detection Model ◽  
Multidimensional Signal ◽  
Choice Bias ◽  
Sensitivity Changes ◽  
Optimal Decision Making

AbstractEndogenous attention acts by enhancing sensory processing (perceptual sensitivity) and prioritizing gating of attended information for decisions (choice bias). It is unknown if the sensitivity and bias components of attention are under the control of common or distinct mechanisms. We tested human observers on a multialternative visuospatial attention task with probabilistic cues, whose predictive validity varied across locations. Analysis of behavior with a multidimensional signal detection model revealed striking dissociations between sensitivity and bias changes induced by cueing. While bias varied in a graded manner, reflecting cue validities, across locations, sensitivity varied in an ‘all-or-none’ fashion, being highest at the cued location. Cue-induced modulations of sensitivity and bias were uncorrelated within and across observers. Moreover, bias changes, rather than sensitivity changes, covaried robustly with key metrics of reaction times and optimal decision-making. Our results demonstrate that endogenous attention engages not a unitary process, but dissociable sensory and decisional processes.

scholarly journals Effects of ketamine on brain function during metacognition of episodic memory

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mirko Lehmann ◽  
Claudia Neumann ◽  
Sven Wasserthal ◽  
Johannes Schultz ◽  
Achilles Delis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Episodic Memory ◽  
Parietal Lobe ◽  
Memory Task ◽  
Reaction Times ◽  
Neural Correlates ◽  
Double Blind ◽  
Lingual Gyrus ◽  
States Of Consciousness ◽  
Fmri Study ◽  
Confidence Ratings

Abstract Only little research has been conducted on the pharmacological underpinnings of metacognition. Here, we tested the modulatory effects of a single intravenous dose (100 ng/ml) of the N-methyl-D-aspartate-glutamate-receptor antagonist ketamine, a compound known to induce altered states of consciousness, on metacognition and its neural correlates. Fifty-three young, healthy adults completed two study phases of an episodic memory task involving both encoding and retrieval in a double-blind, placebo-controlled fMRI study. Trial-by-trial confidence ratings were collected during retrieval. Effects on the subjective state of consciousness were assessed using the 5D-ASC questionnaire. Confirming that the drug elicited a psychedelic state, there were effects of ketamine on all 5D-ASC scales. Acute ketamine administration during retrieval had deleterious effects on metacognitive sensitivity (meta-d′) and led to larger metacognitive bias, with retrieval performance (d′) and reaction times remaining unaffected. However, there was no ketamine effect on metacognitive efficiency (meta-d′/d′). Measures of the BOLD signal revealed that ketamine compared to placebo elicited higher activation of posterior cortical brain areas, including superior and inferior parietal lobe, calcarine gyrus, and lingual gyrus, albeit not specific to metacognitive confidence ratings. Ketamine administered during encoding did not significantly affect performance or brain activation. Overall, our findings suggest that ketamine impacts metacognition, leading to significantly larger metacognitive bias and deterioration of metacognitive sensitivity as well as unspecific activation increases in posterior hot zone areas of the neural correlates of consciousness.

The role of the Big Five personality factors in vigilance performance and workload

2002 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 185-200 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cynthia Laurie Rose ◽  
Laura Bennett Murphy ◽  
Lynn Byard ◽  
Katherina Nikzad
Keyword(s):  
Reaction Times ◽  
Personality Factors ◽  
False Alarms ◽  
Big Five Personality ◽  
Perceptual Sensitivity ◽  
Practical Applications ◽  
Perceived Workload ◽  
Big Five Personality Factors ◽  
Task Parameters

Using the five‐factor personality model, the present study explored the influence of personality factors on sustained attention and perceived workload. Ninety‐six college‐aged participants were administered a 12 minute vigilance fast event rate task. Following the vigil, participants were asked to first, rate their perceived workload of the task using the NASA‐TLX, and then second, complete the NEO‐PI‐R personality inventory. Traditional measures of hits, false alarms, and reaction times were examined as well as the signal detection indices of perceptual sensitivity and response bias. Extraversion correlated with false alarms (r = 0.181; eta2 = 0.055) and conscientiousness correlated with both false alarms (r = −0.275, eta2 = 0.097) and perceptual sensitivity (r = 0.227, eta2 = 0.052). With regard to perceived workload, neuroticism was related to perceived frustration (r = 0.238, eta2 = 0.057). The findings are discussed in terms of theoretical implications, impact of task parameters, and practical applications. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The early attentional pancake: Lack of selection in depth for rapid exogenous cueing

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryan Edward O'Donnell ◽  
Kyrie Murawski ◽  
Ella Herrmann ◽  
Jesse Wisch ◽  
Garrett D. Sullivan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Reaction Time ◽  
Binocular Disparity ◽  
Dimensional Space ◽  
Exogenous Attention ◽  
3 Dimensional ◽  
Exogenous Cueing ◽  
Different Depths ◽  
Depth Cueing ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Attentional Selectivity

There have been conflicting findings on the degree to which exogenous/reflexive visual attention is selective for depth, and this issue has important implications for attention models. Previous findings have attempted to find depth-based cueing effects on such attention using reaction time measures for stimuli presented in stereo goggles with a display screen. Results stemming from such approaches have been mixed, depending on whether target/distractor discrimination was required. To help clarify the existence of such depth effects, we have developed a paradigm that measures accuracy rather than reaction time in an immersive virtual-reality environment, providing a more appropriate context of depth. Four modified Posner Cueing paradigms were run to test for depth-specific attentional selectivity. Participants fixated a cross while attempting to identify a rapidly masked letter that was preceded by a cue that could be valid in depth and side, depth only, or side only. In Experiment 1, a potent cueing effect was found for side validity and a weak effect was found for depth. Experiment 2 controlled for differences in cue and target sizes when presented at different depths, which caused the depth validity effect to disappear entirely even though participants were explicitly asked to report depth and the difference in virtual depth was extreme (20 vs 300 meters). Experiments 3a and 3b brought the front depth plane even closer (1 m) to maximize effects of binocular disparity, but no reliable depth cueing validity was observed. Thus, it seems that rapid/exogenous attention pancakes 3-dimensional space into a 2-dimensional reference frame.

scholarly journals Neural correlates of endogenous attention, exogenous attention and inhibition of return in touch

2014 ◽  
Vol 40 (2) ◽  
pp. 2389-2398 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander Jones ◽  
Bettina Forster
Keyword(s):  
Inhibition Of Return ◽  
Neural Correlates ◽  
Exogenous Attention ◽  
Endogenous Attention

scholarly journals Reaction Times to High-Contrast Brake Lamps

1991 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Sivak ◽  
Michael Flannagan ◽  
Andrew W. Gellatly
Keyword(s):  
Reaction Times ◽  
High Contrast

scholarly journals Neural signatures of vigilance decrements predict behavioural errors before they occur

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hamid Karimi-Rouzbahani ◽  
Alexandra Woolgar ◽  
Anina N. Rich
Keyword(s):  
Reaction Times ◽  
Neural Correlates ◽  
Neural Representation ◽  
Neural Data ◽  
Active Condition ◽  
Behavioural Performance ◽  
Target Monitoring ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
Over Time

AbstractThere are many monitoring environments, such as railway control, in which lapses of attention can have tragic consequences. Problematically, sustained monitoring for rare targets is difficult, with more misses and longer reaction times over time. What changes in the brain underpin these “vigilance decrements”? We designed a multiple-object monitoring (MOM) paradigm to examine how the neural representation of information varied with target frequency and time performing the task. Behavioural performance decreased over time for the rare target (monitoring) condition, but not for a frequent target (active) condition. This was mirrored in the neural results: there was weaker coding of critical information during monitoring versus active conditions. We developed new analyses that can predict behavioural errors from the neural data more than a second before they occurred. This paves the way for pre-empting behavioural errors due to lapses in attention and provides new insight into the neural correlates of vigilance decrements.

scholarly journals Exogenous attention generalizes perceptual learning in adults with amblyopia

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mariel Roberts ◽  
Marisa Carrasco
Keyword(s):  
Perceptual Learning ◽  
Brain Plasticity ◽  
Visual Development ◽  
Adult Brain ◽  
Exogenous Attention ◽  
Visual Perceptual Learning ◽  
Behavioral Manifestation ◽  
Improved Performance ◽  
Spatial Locations ◽  
Insight Into

SUMMARYVisual perceptual learning (VPL), or improved performance after practicing the same visual task, is a behavioral manifestation of the impressive neuroplasticity in the adult brain. However, its practical effectiveness is limited because improvements are often specific to the trained conditions and require significant time and effort. Thus, it is critical to understand the conditions that promote learning and its transfer. Covert spatial attention helps overcome VPL location and feature specificity in neurotypical adults, but whether it can for people with atypical visual development is unknown. Here we show that involuntary attention helps generalize learning beyond trained spatial locations in adults with amblyopia, an ideal population for investigation given their asymmetrically developed, but highly plastic, visual cortex. Our findings provide insight into the mechanisms underlying changes in neuro(a)typical brain plasticity after practice. Further, they reveal that attention can enhance the effectiveness of perceptual learning during rehabilitation of visual disorders.

scholarly journals Response inhibition in problematic social network sites use: an ERP study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tania Moretta ◽  
Giulia Buodo
Keyword(s):  
Social Network ◽  
Inhibitory Control ◽  
Response Inhibition ◽  
Social Network Sites ◽  
Reaction Times ◽  
Event Related Potentials ◽  
Neural Correlates ◽  
Addictive Behaviors ◽  
Related Potentials ◽  
Picture Content

AbstractGiven the current literature debate on whether or not Problematic Social Network Sites Use (PSNSU) can be considered a behavioral addiction, the present study was designed to test whether, similarly to addictive behaviors, PSNSU is characterized by a deficit in inhibitory control in emotional and addiction-related contexts. Twenty-two problematic Facebook users and 23 nonproblematic users were recruited based on their score on the Problematic Facebook Use Scale. The event-related potentials were recorded during an emotional Go/Nogo Task, including Facebook-related, unpleasant, pleasant, and neutral pictures. The amplitudes of the Nogo-N2 and the Nogo-P3 were computed as measures of the detection of response conflict and response inhibition, respectively. Reaction times and accuracy also were measured. The results showed that problematic users were less accurate on both Go and Nogo trials than nonproblematic users, irrespective of picture content. For problematic users only, the Nogo-P3 amplitude was lower to Facebook-related, pleasant, and neutral than to unpleasant stimuli, suggesting less efficient inhibition with natural and Facebook-related rewards. Of note, all participants were slower to respond to Facebook-related and pleasant Go trials compared with unpleasant and neutral pictures. Consistently, the Nogo-N2 amplitude was larger to Facebook-related than all other picture contents in both groups. Overall, the findings suggest that PSNSU is associated with reduced inhibitory control. These results should be considered in the debate about the neural correlates of PSNSU, suggesting more similarities than differences between PSNSU and addictive behaviors.

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