Advanced search
1 file | 3.18 MB Add to list

The dynamics of statistical learning in visual search and its interaction with salience processing : an EEG study

(2024) NEUROIMAGE. 286.
Author
Organization
Project
Abstract
Visual attention can be guided by statistical regularities in the environment, that people implicitly learn from past experiences (statistical learning, SL). Moreover, a perceptually salient element can automatically capture attention, gaining processing priority through a bottom-up attentional control mechanism. The aim of our study was to investigate the dynamics of SL and if it shapes attentional target selection additively with salience processing, or whether these mechanisms interact, e.g. one gates the other. In a visual search task, we therefore manipulated target frequency (high vs. low) across locations while, in some trials, the target was salient in terms of colour. Additionally, halfway through the experiment, the high-frequency location changed to the opposite hemifield. EEG activity was simultaneously recorded, with a specific interest in two markers related to target selection and post-selection processing, respectively: N2pc and SPCN. Our results revealed that both SL and saliency significantly enhanced behavioural performance, but also interacted with each other, with an attenuated saliency effect at the high-frequency target location, and a smaller SL effect for salient targets. Concerning processing dynamics, the benefit of salience processing was more evident during the early stage of target selection and processing, as indexed by a larger N2pc and early-SPCN, whereas SL modulated the underlying neural activity particularly later on, as revealed by larger late-SPCN. Furthermore, we showed that SL was rapidly acquired and adjusted when the spatial imbalance changed. Overall, our findings suggest that SL is flexible to changes and, combined with salience processing, jointly contributes to establishing attentional priority.
Keywords
N2PC COMPONENT, TOP-DOWN, ATTENTION, TARGET, PROBABILITY, SELECTIVITY, PERCEPTION, CAPTURE, MEMORY, FACES, Visual attention, N2pc, SPCN, Statistical learning, Salience processing, Spatial priority map

Downloads

  • Dolci2024NeuroImage.pdf
    • full text (Published version)
    • |
    • open access
    • |
    • PDF
    • |
    • 3.18 MB

Citation

Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:

MLA
Dolci, Carola, et al. “The Dynamics of Statistical Learning in Visual Search and Its Interaction with Salience Processing : An EEG Study.” NEUROIMAGE, vol. 286, 2024, doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2024.120514.
APA
Dolci, C., Rashal, E., Santandrea, E., Ben Hamed, S., Chelazzi, L., Macaluso, E., & Böhler, N. (2024). The dynamics of statistical learning in visual search and its interaction with salience processing : an EEG study. NEUROIMAGE, 286. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2024.120514
Chicago author-date
Dolci, Carola, Einat Rashal, Elisa Santandrea, Suliann Ben Hamed, Leonardo Chelazzi, Emiliano Macaluso, and Nico Böhler. 2024. “The Dynamics of Statistical Learning in Visual Search and Its Interaction with Salience Processing : An EEG Study.” NEUROIMAGE 286. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2024.120514.
Chicago author-date (all authors)
Dolci, Carola, Einat Rashal, Elisa Santandrea, Suliann Ben Hamed, Leonardo Chelazzi, Emiliano Macaluso, and Nico Böhler. 2024. “The Dynamics of Statistical Learning in Visual Search and Its Interaction with Salience Processing : An EEG Study.” NEUROIMAGE 286. doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2024.120514.
Vancouver
1.
Dolci C, Rashal E, Santandrea E, Ben Hamed S, Chelazzi L, Macaluso E, et al. The dynamics of statistical learning in visual search and its interaction with salience processing : an EEG study. NEUROIMAGE. 2024;286.
IEEE
[1]
C. Dolci et al., “The dynamics of statistical learning in visual search and its interaction with salience processing : an EEG study,” NEUROIMAGE, vol. 286, 2024.
@article{01HQAMWCRGR403N9S1XH0W6B6X,
  abstract     = {{Visual attention can be guided by statistical regularities in the environment, that people implicitly learn from past experiences (statistical learning, SL). Moreover, a perceptually salient element can automatically capture attention, gaining processing priority through a bottom-up attentional control mechanism. The aim of our study was to investigate the dynamics of SL and if it shapes attentional target selection additively with salience processing, or whether these mechanisms interact, e.g. one gates the other. In a visual search task, we therefore manipulated target frequency (high vs. low) across locations while, in some trials, the target was salient in terms of colour. Additionally, halfway through the experiment, the high-frequency location changed to the opposite hemifield. EEG activity was simultaneously recorded, with a specific interest in two markers related to target selection and post-selection processing, respectively: N2pc and SPCN. Our results revealed that both SL and saliency significantly enhanced behavioural performance, but also interacted with each other, with an attenuated saliency effect at the high-frequency target location, and a smaller SL effect for salient targets. Concerning processing dynamics, the benefit of salience processing was more evident during the early stage of target selection and processing, as indexed by a larger N2pc and early-SPCN, whereas SL modulated the underlying neural activity particularly later on, as revealed by larger late-SPCN. Furthermore, we showed that SL was rapidly acquired and adjusted when the spatial imbalance changed. Overall, our findings suggest that SL is flexible to changes and, combined with salience processing, jointly contributes to establishing attentional priority.}},
  articleno    = {{120514}},
  author       = {{Dolci, Carola and Rashal, Einat and  Santandrea, Elisa and  Ben Hamed, Suliann and  Chelazzi, Leonardo and  Macaluso, Emiliano and Böhler, Nico}},
  issn         = {{1053-8119}},
  journal      = {{NEUROIMAGE}},
  keywords     = {{N2PC COMPONENT,TOP-DOWN,ATTENTION,TARGET,PROBABILITY,SELECTIVITY,PERCEPTION,CAPTURE,MEMORY,FACES,Visual attention,N2pc,SPCN,Statistical learning,Salience processing,Spatial priority map}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{12}},
  title        = {{The dynamics of statistical learning in visual search and its interaction with salience processing : an EEG study}},
  url          = {{http://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2024.120514}},
  volume       = {{286}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}

Altmetric
View in Altmetric
Web of Science
Times cited: