Reward Priority of Visual Target Singletons Modulates Event-Related Potential Signatures of Attentional Selection
Open accessAbstract
We examined visual search for color singleton targets, whose shape was discriminated. Critically, we varied the reward priority of singleton colors (correct fast performance was worth more bonus points for red singletons than for green singletons, or vice versa) to test whether event-related potential signatures of visual selection can be affected by distinct reward priorities for different target types, even when every target has to be selected for report. The N2pc component was earlier and larger for high- than for low-reward targets. This influence of reward on the N2pc correlated with the subject-by-subject impact of reward level on efficiency of behavioral performance. Later postselection processing was also affected by reward level. These results demonstrate that visual selection of task-relevant items is rapidly modulated by reward-related priorities, even when every target has to be selected for response.
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Incentives ultimately benefit attentional processing and enhance the perceptual representation of reward-associated targets.
“This notion is in line with findings showing that incentives ultimately benefit attentional processing (Kiss et al., 2009; Sawaki et al., 2015) as well as enhance the perceptual representation of reward-associated targets (Seitz, Kim & Watanabe, 2009; Serences, 2008).”
From Selection history: How reward modulates selectivity of visual attention. (2018) · cites this paper as Kiss et al., 2009
Electrophysiological recordings showed that the N2pc component was modulated by reward magnitude, being earlier and larger in response to high-reward targets compared to low-reward targets.
“Importantly, electrophysiological recordings showed that the N2pc component was also modulated by reward magnitude. The N2pc was earlier and larger in response to high-reward targets compared to low-reward targets.”
From Selection history: How reward modulates selectivity of visual attention. (2018) · cites this paper as Kiss et al., 2009
Kiss et al. (2009) found faster identification for high-reward than for low-reward targets.
“Nevertheless, the results showed faster identification for high-reward than for low-reward targets.”
From Selection history: How reward modulates selectivity of visual attention. (2018) · cites this paper as Kiss et al., 2009
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“Selective attention allows us to filter the external world and focus on what matters, such as cues that predict rewards (Della Libera and Chelazzi, 2006, 2009; Kiss et al., 2009; Hickey et al., 2010a,b; Kristjánsson et al., 2010; Anderson et al., 2011a,b).”
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- Authors
- Kiss, M., Driver, J., & Eimer, M.
- Affiliations
- School of Psychology, Birkbeck College London
- University College London (GB)
- Venue
- Psychological Science
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2009-02
- Volume
- 20
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 245-251
- ISSN
- 0956-7976 (ISSN-L)
- 1467-9280
- PMC
- PMC2645377
- OpenAlex
- W2126430529
- Cited by
- 267
- References
- 35
- Citations by year
- 2026: 8 · 2025: 17 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 14 · 2021: 22 · 2020: 13 · 2019: 11 · 2018: 15 · 2017: 18 · 2016: 23 · 2015: 25 · 2014: 24 · 2013: 24 · 2012: 15
- FWCI
- 5.83
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- Psychological Science (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- BIROn (Birkbeck, University of London) (submittedVersion)
- UCL Discovery (University College London) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Wellcome Trust (066097)
- Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BB/E02470X/1, BBS/B/16186)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Visual perception and processing mechanisms
- Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition › Visual Attention and Saliency Detection
- Keywords
- visual search, N2pc, event-related potentials, selective attention
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Attention, Choice Behavior, Evoked Potentials, Female, Fixation, Ocular, Humans, Male, Reward, Visual Perception
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