Long-term inhibition of return of attention

Tipper, S.P., Grison, S. and Kessler, K. (2003) Long-term inhibition of return of attention. Psychological Science(14), pp. 19-25.

Abstract

When searching the environment, the inhibition of the return (IOR) of attention to already examined information ensures that the target will ultimately be detected. Until now, inhibition was assumed to support search of information during one processing episode. However, in some situations search may have to be completed long after it was begun. We therefore propose that inhibition can be associated with an episode encoded into memory where later retrieval reinstates inhibitory processing and encourages examination of new information. In three experiments where attention is drawn to face stimuli with an exogenous cue, we demonstrate for the first time the existence of long-term IOR. Interestingly, this is only the case for faces in the left visual field, perhaps because more efficient processing of faces in the right-hemisphere results in richer, more retrievable, memory representations.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Kessler, Dr Klaus
• Authors: Tipper, S.P., Grison, S., and Kessler, K.
• College/School: College of Science and Engineering > School of Psychology; College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Psychology & Neuroscience
• Journal Name: Psychological Science