TEMPORAL ATTENTION
QUESTION
Voluntary temporal attention is the goal-directed prioritization of task relevant visual information at specific points in time. Temporal attention selectively improves perceptual sensitivity at attended times.
Question: What are the effects of voluntary temporal attention on visual cortical responses?
TASK
Measurement: MEG, visually responsive channels
Task: orientation discrimination
Stimuli: 2 sequential, centrally presented gratings (T1, T2), width 4°, spatial frequency 1.5 cpd, full contrast, phase (0, π)
- tilt threshold, T1/T2 independently tilted CW/CCW from vertical/horizontal axis
Precues: auditory attention cues, [Cue T1, high tone], [Cue T2, low tone], [Neutral, combined tones]
Response Cues: auditory response cues, [Respond T1, high tone], [Respond T2, low tone]
Response: key press, report orientation CW/CCW for cued grating
Attention conditions: [valid: precue = response cue], [invalid: precue ≠ response cue], [neutral: neutral precue: equal likelihood to report T1 or T2]
BEHAVIORAL
NEURAL