Continuous Processing Mechanism Of Temporal Visual Attention In Rapid Serial Visual Presentation Paradigm

Attentional blink (AB) reflects a transitory impairment performance of the second target (T2) followed the first target (T1) in200-500ms in rapid serial visual presentation (RSVP) paradigm. However, a surprise better performance survived when T2to be the directly subsequent item or temporal contiguity (less than100ms) to T1, which termed lagl sparing. We examined the underlying mechanism of lagl sparing across examining the level and strength of processing of T1-post distractor and target in two experiments. Using priming paradigm, experiment1varied stimulus onset asynchrony (SOA,60ms vs120ms) evolved stream to manipulate temporal factor and changed the T1-relative position of the priming distractor (PD) to investigate positional factor. In addition, the latency and amplitude of P3component in response to T2targets were analyzed in experiment2, corresponding different sensory saliences by lime or red color and variable strengths of boost function across postponed time by lagl or Iag2position to T1. Magnitude of priming effect was largely influenced by temporal factor, indicating the temporal determinant of lagl sparing. Moreover, the mean magnitude of P3was larger when T2embedded in Iag2position related to T1, and peak latency of P3was shorter in the trials T2printed in lime among red-black streams than in the trials T2drawn in red. Based on recent theoretical accounts of lagl sparing, the results indicate a postponed boost function evoked by initial target could enhance the processing of later item, regardless of distractor or target, interpreted suitably by boost and bounce theory. Future investigation should pay attention to the effect of kinds of switches.