Read-out of emotional information from iconic memory: The longevity of threatening stimuli
Journal article
Kuhbandner, Christof, Spitzer, Bernhard and Pekrun, Reinhard. (2011). Read-out of emotional information from iconic memory: The longevity of threatening stimuli. Psychological Science. 22(5), pp. 695 - 700. https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797611406445
Authors | Kuhbandner, Christof, Spitzer, Bernhard and Pekrun, Reinhard |
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Abstract | Previous research has shown that emotional stimuli are more likely than neutral stimuli to be selected by attention, indicating that the processing of emotional information is prioritized. In this study, we examined whether the emotional significance of stimuli influences visual processing already at the level of transient storage of incoming information in iconic memory, before attentional selection takes place. We used a typical iconic memory task in which the delay of a poststimulus cue, indicating which of several visual stimuli has to be reported, was varied. Performance decreased rapidly with increasing cue delay, reflecting the fast decay of information stored in iconic memory. However, although neutral stimulus information and emotional stimulus information were initially equally likely to enter iconic memory, the subsequent decay of the initially stored information was slowed for threatening stimuli, a result indicating that fear-relevant information has prolonged availability for read-out from iconic memory. This finding provides the first evidence that emotional significance already facilitates stimulus processing at the stage of iconic memory. |
Keywords | sensory memory; visual perception; negative stimuli; attention; information processing |
Year | 2011 |
Journal | Psychological Science |
Journal citation | 22 (5), pp. 695 - 700 |
Publisher | SAGE Publications Inc. |
ISSN | 0956-7976 |
Digital Object Identifier (DOI) | https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797611406445 |
Page range | 695 - 700 |
Research Group | Institute for Positive Psychology and Education |
Publisher's version | File Access Level Controlled |
Place of publication | United States of America |
https://acuresearchbank.acu.edu.au/item/8q1w5/read-out-of-emotional-information-from-iconic-memory-the-longevity-of-threatening-stimuli
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