ABSTRACT

Recently, researchers have used evidence-accumulation models to analyse how performance in visual working memory (WM) tasks depends on both decision-making and non-decisional processes. One resulting claim is that selection of representations into the focus of attention and decision-making about those representations are separable processes, that this selection is facilitated by informative retro-cues, and that this process is evident in non-decision time when data are fit with a diffusion model. I attempted to address an alternative account of retro-cue effects on non-decision time: that they result from reduced uncertainty about non-memorial aspects of the task. In two 2AFC recognition experiments with retro-cues, participants had to choose between two probes – whose similarity to one another varied across conditions – to indicate which matched an item presented at a specified location in a sequentially-presented visual memory array. Crucially, the task minimized differences in uncertainty between the cue and no-cue conditions. Modelling showed a robust retro-cue effect in non-decision time, consistent with the advanced selection account of the retro-cue effect. Additionally, there were serial position and similarity effects, mostly evident on drift rate. These results support the contention that selection into the focus of attention is a separate process which facilitates stimulus use in decision-making.

摘要

最近，研究人员使用了证据积累模型来分析视觉工作记忆（WM）任务的绩效如何取决于决策过程和非决策过程。由此得出的一个结论是，将表示形式选择为关注点和关于这些表示形式的决策是可分离的过程，这种选择是通过信息性的回顾来促进的，并且该过程在数据适合的非决定时间内很明显。与扩散模型。我试图解决对非决策时间的回溯线索影响的另一种解释：它们是由于减少了任务非纪念性方面的不确定性而导致的。在两个带有逆向提示的2AFC识别实验中，参与者必须在两种探针之间进行选择（彼此之间的相似度在不同情况下会有所不同），以指示哪个探针与在顺序显示的视觉记忆阵列中指定位置呈现的项目相匹配。至关重要的是，该任务使提示和无提示条件之间的不确定性差异最小化。建模显示出在非决策时间内强大的追溯提示效果，这与追溯提示效果的高级选择说明一致。此外，还存在串行位置和相似性影响，这在漂移率上最明显。这些结果支持这样一个论点，即选择关注的焦点是一个独立的过程，有助于在决策中使用刺激。该任务使提示和不提示条件之间的不确定性差异最小化。建模显示出在非决策时间内强大的追溯提示效果，这与追溯提示效果的高级选择说明一致。此外，还存在串行位置和相似性影响，这在漂移率上最明显。这些结果支持这样一个论点，即选择关注的焦点是一个独立的过程，有助于在决策中使用刺激。该任务使提示和不提示条件之间的不确定性差异最小化。建模显示出在非决策时间内强大的追溯提示效果，这与追溯提示效果的高级选择说明一致。此外，还存在串行位置和相似性影响，这在漂移率上最明显。这些结果支持这样一个论点，即选择关注的焦点是一个独立的过程，有助于在决策中使用刺激。