The relationship between visual attention and prospective memory
The current study examined the role of attention in prospective memory. Prospective memory refers to the ability to form an intention to do something in the future, such as email a colleague, and additionally remembering to do so at the appropriate moment. Theories of prospective memory retrieval suggest that attention is required to complete an intention. However, the exact role of attention and whether it is always required remains unclear. One challenge in examining the allocation of attentional resources in prospective memory is that a direct measure of these resources does not exist. The current study attempted to address this issue by introducing methods applied in the area of visual attention (i.e., eye tracking). The results of the current study suggest that attentional resources beyond those required for the ongoing task were not necessary to complete the intention. In addition, the methods employed shed new light on the relationship between visual attention and the cognitive resources deployed in a prospective memory task.
eye tracking, monitoring, visual attention, prospective memory
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