@article{491b81f3c6de46f8a0945ed80a566e0c,
title = "Concurrent working memory load may increase or reduce cognitive interference depending on the attentional set",
abstract = "Perceptual grouping leads to interference when target and distractors are integrated within the same percept. Cognitive control allows breaking this automatic tendency by focusing selectively on target information. Thus, interference can be modulated either by goal-directed mechanisms or by physical features of stimuli that help to segregate the target from distractors. In three experiments, participants had to respond to the left-right direction of a central arrow, flanked by two arrows on each side. Sometimes, instructions requested to also stay vigilant for detecting an infrequent vertical/horizontal displacement of the target, thus loading working memory. Although it has been usually shown that concurrent working memory load hinders target selection, the present research provides evidence that interference may either increase or decrease depending on whether dual tasking draws attention to the grouping (horizontal displacement) or to an orthogonal dimension (vertical displacement), revealing counterintuitive benefits of working memory load.",
keywords = "Attentional set, Cognitive control, Dual task performance, Interference effect, Working memory",
author = "Luna, {Fernando G.} and Ma{\"i}ka Telga and Vadillo, {Miguel A.} and Juan Lupi{\'a}{\~n}ez",
note = "This study was supported by the Ministerio de Econom{\'i}a y Competitividad, Espa{\~n}a, with research project to Juan Lupi{\'a}{\~n}ez (PSI2017-84926-P), and by the Secretar{\'i}a de Ciencia y Tecnolog{\'i}a from the Universidad Nacional de C{\'o}rdoba, Argentina (Proyecto Estimular to Fernando G. Luna). In addition, Fernando G. Luna received PhD scholarship support from the Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cient{\'i}ficas y T{\'e}cnicas, Argentina, and a scholarship mobility by the Asociaci{\'o}n Universitaria Iberoamericana de Posgrado in cooperation with the Consejer{\'i}a de Econom{\'i}a y Conocimiento de la Junta de Andaluc{\'i}a, Espa{\~n}a. Ma{\"i}ka Telga received a pre-doctoral FPU fellowship (FPU14/07106) from the Ministerio de Educaci{\'o}n, Cultura y Deporte, Espa{\~n}a. Miguel A. Vadillo was supported by Grants 2016-T1/SOC-1395 from Comunidad de Madrid (Programa de Atracci{\'o}n de Talento Investigador) and PSI2017-85159-P from Agencia Estatal de Investigaci{\'o}n, Ministerio de Econom{\'i}a y Competitividad, Espa{\~n}a. The data set of this study is publicly available in the Open Science Framework at https://osf.io/fnrct/.",
year = "2020",
month = apr,
day = "16",
doi = "10.1037/xhp0000740",
language = "English",
volume = "49",
pages = "667--680",
journal = "Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance",
issn = "0096-1523",
publisher = "American Psychological Association Inc.",
number = "7",
}