The idea that external rhythms synchronize attention cross-modally has attracted much interest and scientific inquiry. Yet, whether associated attentional modulations are indeed rhythmical in that they spring from and map onto an underlying meter has not been clearly established. Here we tested this idea while addressing the shortcomings of previous work associated with confounding (i) metricality and regularity, (ii) rhythmic and temporal expectations, or (iii) global and local temporal effects. We designed sound sequences that varied orthogonally (high/low) in metricality and regularity and presented them as task-irrelevant auditory background in four separate blocks. The participants’ task was to detect rare visual targets occurring at a silent metrically aligned or misaligned temporal position. We found that target timing was irrelevant for reaction times and visual event-related potentials. High background regularity and to a lesser extent metricality facilitated target processing across metrically aligned and misaligned positions. Additionally, high regularity modulated auditory background frequencies in the EEG recorded over occipital cortex. We conclude that external rhythms, rather than synchronizing attention crossmodally, confer general, non-temporal benefits. Their predictability conserves processing resources that then benefit stimulus representations in other modalities.

中文翻译：

---

音乐节奏对视觉注意的影响是非节奏性的：反对度量约束的证据。

外部节奏跨模式同步注意力的想法引起了很多兴趣和科学探究。然而，尚未明确确定相关的注意力调制是否确实具有节奏感，因为它们从中发出并映射到基础仪表上。在这里，我们在解决先前工作与混合（i）量度和规律性，（ii）有节奏和时间上的期望，或（iii）全局和局部时间上的影响相关的缺点时，测试了这个想法。我们设计了声音序列，这些声音序列在度量和规律性方面正交（高/低）变化，并在四个独立的块中将它们作为与任务无关的听觉背景呈现。参与者的任务是检测在默示的公制对齐或未对齐时间位置上发生的罕见视觉目标。我们发现目标时机与反应时间和视觉事件相关电位无关。高背景规律性和较小程度的度量标准有助于跨度量标准对齐和未对齐位置的目标处理。另外，在枕叶皮质上记录的脑电图中高规则性调制的听觉背景频率。我们得出的结论是，外部节奏而不是交叉注意地同步注意力，而是赋予了一般性的非时间性利益。它们的可预测性节省了处理资源，然后使其他形式的刺激表示受益。在枕叶皮层上记录的脑电图中高规则性听觉背景频率。我们得出的结论是，外部节奏而不是交叉注意地同步注意力，而是赋予了一般性的非时间性利益。它们的可预测性节省了处理资源，然后使其他形式的刺激表示受益。在枕叶皮层上记录的脑电图中高规则性听觉背景频率。我们得出的结论是，外部节奏而不是交叉注意地同步注意力，而是赋予了一般性的非时间性利益。它们的可预测性节省了处理资源，然后使其他形式的刺激表示受益。