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Cited by 924Neural and Behavioral Psychology StudiesFace Recognition and PerceptionVisual perception and processing mechanisms

The Role of Working Memory in Visual Selective Attention

de Fockert, Jan W., Rees, Geraint, Frith, Christopher D., Lavie, Nilli·2001·Science
DOI 10.1126/science.1056496
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Abstract

The hypothesis that working memory is crucial for reducing distraction by maintaining the prioritization of relevant information was tested in neuroimaging and psychological experiments with humans. Participants performed a selective attention task that required them to ignore distractor faces while holding in working memory a sequence of digits that were in the same order (low memory load) or a different order (high memory load) on every trial. Higher memory load, associated with increased prefrontal activity, resulted in greater interference effects on behavioral performance from the distractor faces, plus increased face-related activity in the visual cortex. These findings confirm a major role for working memory in the control of visual selective attention.

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  • Working memory influences visual selective attention and exerts top-down control on neural activity in the visual cortex.

    “For example, working memory has been demonstrated to influence visual selective attention [32] and to exert top-down control on neural activity in the visual cortex [22].”

    From Sensory processing in preterm preschoolers and its association with executive function (2015) · cites this paper as [32]

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Research works printed but not linked: 16

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Authors
de Fockert, J. W., Rees, G., Frith, C. D., & Lavie, N.
Affiliations
  • Department of Psychology, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK.
  • University College London (GB)
  • Wellcome Department of Cognitive Neurology, Institute of Neurology, 12 Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK.
ORCID
Rees, Geraint
Venue
Science
Publisher
American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
Published
2001-03-02
Volume
291
Issue
5509
Pages
1803-1806
ISSN
  • 0036-8075 (ISSN-L)
  • 1095-9203
DOI
10.1126/science.1056496
OpenAlex
W1922570371
Cited by
924
References
3
Citations by year
2026: 21 · 2025: 18 · 2024: 19 · 2023: 16 · 2022: 20 · 2021: 35 · 2020: 36 · 2019: 43 · 2018: 39 · 2017: 40 · 2016: 40 · 2015: 46 · 2014: 41 · 2013: 54 · 2012: 31
FWCI
15.65
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Science (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Goldsmiths (University of London) (acceptedVersion)
  • UCL Discovery (University College London) (submittedVersion)
Funders
Wellcome Trust (067453)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Face Recognition and Perception
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Visual perception and processing mechanisms
Keywords
working memory, visual selective attention, distractor interference, memory load, prefrontal cortex, face processing, visual cortex, attentional control, interference effects
MeSH terms
Adult, Attention, Brain, Brain Mapping, Face, Female, Form Perception, Humans, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Memory, Short-Term, Pattern Recognition, Visual, Mental Recall, Visual Cortex, Prefrontal Cortex

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