Missed prime words within the attentional blink evoke an N400 semantic priming effect

Abstract

When subjects identified a target among distractors in a rapid serial visual presentation task, the detection of a subsequent target is impaired (attentional blink). By measuring event-related potentials (ERPs) we investigated if the processing of an unidentified prime word elicits the N400 semantic priming effect. Subjects (N = 12) had to identify three target words among distractors in a rapid serial visual presentation task. We varied the association strength between a prime (second target) and a probe (third target). The detection of the prime was impaired. Missed primes did not elicit a P300, indicating that they were not explicitly recognized. Despite this difference between recognized and missed primes, the N400 effect was present in both cases. This result suggests that automatic spread of activation (ASA) can be evoked by missed primes within the attentional blink. It furthermore demonstrates that ASA is sufficient to evoke the N400 effect.

The Effect of Target Repetition on Semantic Priming in a Three-Target RSVP Task

“…While this result differs from Shapiro, Driver et al (1997), in their study the magnitude of the semantic priming effect was much smaller when T2 was missed compared to when T2 was reported. Moreover, the absence of priming effects in a three-target RSVP task when T2 has been missed is consistent with the outcomes of other studies (e.g., Peressotti, Pesciarelli, Mulatti, & Dell'Acqua, 2012;Rolke et al, 2001). …”

“…However, priming was evident when T2 was correctly reported but not when T2 was missed which partially replicates the outcomes of Shapiro, Driver et al (1997). The absence of priming for T3 when T2 was not reported is consistent with other three-target RSVP studies (e.g., Peressotti et al, 2012;Rolke et al, 2001). Repetition of targets at the response stage did not impact on performance in either experiment as the priming effects were of equivalent size for both task groups when both T2 and T3 were reported and no priming was evident when T2 was not reported.…”

The simultaneous type, serial token model of temporal attention and working memory.

“…As supported by Rolke, Heil, Streb, and Hennighausen (2001), we suggest that although missed T2s will prime T3s, their priming will not be as strong as that for seen T2s, perhaps particularly in respect of the duration of the priming (Rolke et al, 2001). Furthermore, the comparison to Vogel et al's ERP profiles is somewhat muddled by two issues.…”

Decision making, the P3, and the locus coeruleus--norepinephrine system.

“…Rolke, Heil, Streb, and Hennighausen (2001) qualified this finding, reporting that the absence of a P3 to the second target is 4 It is important not to confuse the refractoriness of the LC (during the 200 -500 ms following a phasic response) with the noradrenergically mediated facilitation of processing that occurs following an LC phasic response. The potentiating effects of NE release are thought to endure for approximately 100 -200 ms, producing a facilitation of information processing during that period.…”