The beneficial effects of additional task load, positive affect, and instruction on the attentional blink.

C.N.L. Olivers, S.T. Nieuwenhuis

Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

The attentional blink reflects the impaired ability to identify the 2nd of 2 targets presented in close succession - a phenomenon that is generally thought to reflect a fundamental cognitive limitation. However, the fundamental nature of this impairment has recently been called into question by the counterintuitive finding that task-irrelevant mental activity improves attentional blink performance (C. N. L. Olivers & S. Nieuwenhuis, 2005). The present study found a reduced attentional blink when participants concurrently performed an additional memory task, viewed pictures of positive affective content, or were instructed to focus less on the task. These findings support the hypothesis that the attentional blink is due to an overinvestment of attentional resources in stimulus processing, a suboptimal processing mode that can be counteracted by manipulations promoting divided attention. Copyright 2006 by the American Psychological Association.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)364-379
Number of pages16
JournalJournal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance
Volume32
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2006

Fingerprint

Attentional Blink
Aptitude
Positive Affect

Cite this

Olivers, C.N.L. ; Nieuwenhuis, S.T. / The beneficial effects of additional task load, positive affect, and instruction on the attentional blink. In: Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance. 2006 ; Vol. 32, No. 2. pp. 364-379.
@article{fa77d73dae27464293801f93661d7711,
title = "The beneficial effects of additional task load, positive affect, and instruction on the attentional blink.",
abstract = "The attentional blink reflects the impaired ability to identify the 2nd of 2 targets presented in close succession - a phenomenon that is generally thought to reflect a fundamental cognitive limitation. However, the fundamental nature of this impairment has recently been called into question by the counterintuitive finding that task-irrelevant mental activity improves attentional blink performance (C. N. L. Olivers & S. Nieuwenhuis, 2005). The present study found a reduced attentional blink when participants concurrently performed an additional memory task, viewed pictures of positive affective content, or were instructed to focus less on the task. These findings support the hypothesis that the attentional blink is due to an overinvestment of attentional resources in stimulus processing, a suboptimal processing mode that can be counteracted by manipulations promoting divided attention. Copyright 2006 by the American Psychological Association.",
author = "C.N.L. Olivers and S.T. Nieuwenhuis",
year = "2006",
doi = "10.1037/0096-1523.32.2.364",
language = "English",
volume = "32",
pages = "364--379",
journal = "Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance",
issn = "0096-1523",
publisher = "American Psychological Association",
number = "2",

}

Olivers, CNL & Nieuwenhuis, ST 2006, 'The beneficial effects of additional task load, positive affect, and instruction on the attentional blink.' Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, vol. 32, no. 2, pp. 364-379. https://doi.org/10.1037/0096-1523.32.2.364

The beneficial effects of additional task load, positive affect, and instruction on the attentional blink. / Olivers, C.N.L.; Nieuwenhuis, S.T.

In: Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, Vol. 32, No. 2, 2006, p. 364-379.

Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - The beneficial effects of additional task load, positive affect, and instruction on the attentional blink.

AU - Olivers, C.N.L.

AU - Nieuwenhuis, S.T.

PY - 2006

Y1 - 2006

N2 - The attentional blink reflects the impaired ability to identify the 2nd of 2 targets presented in close succession - a phenomenon that is generally thought to reflect a fundamental cognitive limitation. However, the fundamental nature of this impairment has recently been called into question by the counterintuitive finding that task-irrelevant mental activity improves attentional blink performance (C. N. L. Olivers & S. Nieuwenhuis, 2005). The present study found a reduced attentional blink when participants concurrently performed an additional memory task, viewed pictures of positive affective content, or were instructed to focus less on the task. These findings support the hypothesis that the attentional blink is due to an overinvestment of attentional resources in stimulus processing, a suboptimal processing mode that can be counteracted by manipulations promoting divided attention. Copyright 2006 by the American Psychological Association.

AB - The attentional blink reflects the impaired ability to identify the 2nd of 2 targets presented in close succession - a phenomenon that is generally thought to reflect a fundamental cognitive limitation. However, the fundamental nature of this impairment has recently been called into question by the counterintuitive finding that task-irrelevant mental activity improves attentional blink performance (C. N. L. Olivers & S. Nieuwenhuis, 2005). The present study found a reduced attentional blink when participants concurrently performed an additional memory task, viewed pictures of positive affective content, or were instructed to focus less on the task. These findings support the hypothesis that the attentional blink is due to an overinvestment of attentional resources in stimulus processing, a suboptimal processing mode that can be counteracted by manipulations promoting divided attention. Copyright 2006 by the American Psychological Association.

U2 - 10.1037/0096-1523.32.2.364

DO - 10.1037/0096-1523.32.2.364

M3 - Article

VL - 32

SP - 364

EP - 379

JO - Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance

JF - Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance

SN - 0096-1523

IS - 2

ER -

Olivers CNL, Nieuwenhuis ST. The beneficial effects of additional task load, positive affect, and instruction on the attentional blink. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance. 2006;32(2):364-379. https://doi.org/10.1037/0096-1523.32.2.364

Access to Document