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Sequence effects in a spatial cueing task: Endogenous orienting is sensitive to orienting in the preceding trial

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Abstract

In a spatial cueing paradigm it was investigated whether endogenous orienting is sensitive to orienting processes in the previous trial. Specifically, the effect of the previous cue direction, the previous trial type (valid, invalid, neutral, catch) and target alternation effects were studied. Strategic effects were shown as attentional costs and benefits were larger after a valid than after an invalid trial. Following catch trials, an overall response slowing was observed, but costs and benefits were unaffected. This was interpreted as a reduction in alertness and as support for the dissociation between spatial and temporal attentional mechanisms. Repetition of target position per se had no effect, but in neutral trials responses were slower to targets appearing at the location that was cued in the previous trial, independent of validity of the preceding trial. This suggests that long-term inhibition-of-return can occur between trials when attention is controlled endogenously.

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Notes

  1. The pattern of results was the same when these subjects were included, but effects were stronger without them.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Sander Los, Juan Lupiáñez, Jay Pratt, and two anonymous reviewers for their comments on earlier versions of the manuscript.

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  1. Department of Experimental Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD, Maastricht, The Netherlands

    Ellen M. M. Jongen & Fren T. Y. Smulders

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  1. Ellen M. M. Jongen
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  2. Fren T. Y. Smulders
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Correspondence to Ellen M. M. Jongen.

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Jongen, E.M.M., Smulders, F.T.Y. Sequence effects in a spatial cueing task: Endogenous orienting is sensitive to orienting in the preceding trial. Psychological Research 71, 516–523 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00426-006-0065-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00426-006-0065-3

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