Abstract Searching for a unique target is faster when its unique feature repeats than when it changes. The standard account for this priming-of-popout (PoP) phenomenon is that selecting a target increases the attentional priority of its features in subsequent searches. However, empirical tests of this priority account have yielded contradictory findings. Here, we attempted to clarify why support of its predictions has been elusive in spatial-cueing studies. We noted that the repetition manipulation is stronger in PoP studies than in spatial-cueing studies: The target and nontarget features either repeat or swap in the former, whereas in the latter, the target color either repeats or changes while the nontarget color remains constant. Here, we implemented the stronger repetition manipulation in the spatial-cueing paradigm. If PoP affects attentional priority, the cue-validity effect should be larger when the current-cue color and previous-target color match than when they mismatch. The results of Experiment 1 revealed the opposite effect. Moreover, they showed that well-replicated contingent-capture effects do not hold when target and nontarget colors are allowed to swap—an observation that was confirmed in Experiment 2. In Experiment 3, we verified that with our experimental set-up, a subtle manipulation of attentional priority could modulate cue-validity effects. While the present study does not resolve why evidence for the priority account is inconsistent with the spatial-cueing paradigm, they eliminate one possible reason for such inconsistency. They also reveal that allowing the target and distractors color to swap masks contingent-capture effects, thereby highlighting the complexity of spatial-cueing effects.

Dirk Kerzel

Dominique Lamy

Attention Perception & Psychophysics

The journal Attention, Perception, & Psychophysics is an official journal of the Psychonomic Society.   It spans all areas of research in sensory processes, perception, attention, and psychophysics. Most articles published are reports of experimental work; the journal also presents theoretical, integrative, and evaluative reviews. Commentary on issues of importance to researchers appears in a special section of the journal. Founded in 1966 as Perception & Psychophysics, the journal assumed its present name in 2009.

The journal Attention, Perception, and Psychophysics is the official journal of the Psychonomic Society, covering all areas of research in sensory processes, perception, attention, and psychophysics. Most articles published are reports of experimental work, and the journal also features theoretical, integrative, and evaluative reviews. A special section of the journal includes commentary on issues of importance to researchers. Founded in 1966 as Perception & Psychophysics, the journal adopted its current name in 2009.

《Attention, Perception, and Psychophysics》是心理学学会的官方期刊，涵盖了感官过程、知觉、注意力和心理物理学的所有研究领域。大多数发表的文章是实验研究报告，期刊还提供理论性、综合性和评估性的综述。期刊的特别栏目中会对研究者关注的重要问题进行评论。该期刊成立于1966年，最初名为《Perception & Psychophysics》，并于2009年更名为现在的名称。

Category	Quartile
心理学	4
心理学, 心理学	4
心理学, 心理学实验	4

Priming of pop-out in the spatial-cueing paradigm

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Journal Info

Category	Quartile
PSYCHOLOGY, EXPERIMENTAL	3