Involuntary capture of attention produces domain-specific activation.

Full Abstract

In this study, we ask whether or not the involuntary capture of attention by a specific information type can produce domain-specific activation. Participants indicated the presence of a flicker in rapidly alternating letter-string masks presented in the periphery. Despite letters not being relevant to the task, we found, using functional MRI and a novel task that allowed us to contrast attended and unattended processing of the same visual information, a robust modulation by attentional capture in a localized letter-processing region. This finding suggests that the involuntary capture of attention is sufficient to produce domain-specific activation in early visual processing.

Author information

Author/s: Finkbeiner, Matthew (M); Slotnick, Scott D (SD); Moo, Lauren R (LR); Caramazza, Alfonso (A);

Affiliation: Macquarie Centre for Cognitive Science, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia. matthew.finkbeiner(-atsign-)maccs.mq.edu.au

Grants: DC 04542-04 (Agency:NIDCD NIH HHS) ; K23-DC5068 (Agency:NIDCD NIH HHS)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

Journal: Neuroreport (Neuroreport), published in England. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2007-Jul; vol 18 (issue 10) : pp 975-9

Dates: Created 2007/06/11; Completed 2007/08/31; Revised 2007/12/03;

PMID: 17558280, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 2/18/2009, IMS Date: )

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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