To look or not to look: Subliminal abrupt-onset cues influence constrained free-choice saccades

Subliminal cues have been shown to capture attention and modulate manual response behaviour but their impact on eye movement behaviour is not well-studied. In two experiments, we examined if subliminal cues influence constrained free-choice saccades and if this influence is under strategic control as a function of task-relevancy of the cues. On each trial, a display containing four filled circles at the centre of each quadrant was shown. A central coloured circle indicated the relevant visual field on each trial (Up or Down in Experiment 1; Left or Right in Experiment 2). Next, abrupt-onset cues were presented for 16 ms at one of the four locations. Participants were then asked to freely choose and make a saccade to one of the two target circles in the relevant visual field. The analysis of the frequency of saccades, saccade endpoint deviation and saccade latency revealed a significant influence of the relevant subliminal cues on saccadic decisions. Latency data showed reduced capture by spatially-irrelevant cues under some conditions. These results indicate that spatial attentional control settings as defined in our study could modulate the influence of subliminal abrupt-onset cues on eye movement behaviour. We situate the findings of this study in the attention-capture debate and discuss the implications for the subliminal cueing literature.  &nbsp

Task irrelevant external cues can influence language selection in voluntary object naming: evidence from Hindi-English bilinguals

We examined if external cues such as other agents’ actions can influence the choice of language during voluntary and cued object naming in bilinguals in three experiments. Hindi– English bilinguals first saw a cartoon waving at a color patch. They were then asked to either name a picture in the language of their choice (voluntary block) or to name in the instructed language (cued block). The colors waved at by the cartoon were also the colors used as language cues (Hindi or English). We compared the influence of the cartoon’s choice of color on naming when speakers had to indicate their choice explicitly before naming (Experiment 1) as opposed to when they named directly on seeing the pictures (Experiment 2 and 3). Results showed that participants chose the language indicated by the cartoon greater number of times (Experiment 1 and 3). Speakers also switched significantly to the language primed by the cartoon greater number of times (Experiment 1 and 2). These results suggest that choices leading to voluntary action, as in the case of object naming can be influenced significantly by external non-linguistic cues. Importantly, these symbolic influences can work even when other agents are merely indicating their choices and are not interlocutors in bilingual communicatio

Language proficiency does not modulate executive control in older bilinguals

Published online: 30 Dec 2018We examined if language proficiency modulates performance in tasks that measure executive control in older Telugu-English bilinguals (n = 50, mean age = 57.15 years). We administered numerical Stroop task, Attention Network Task, Dimensional Change Card Sorting task, and stop-signal task that are known to tap into different aspects of executive functioning on healthy aging Telugu-English bilinguals. Second language (English) proficiency was calculated as a cumulative score that considered both subjective and objective measures of L2 fluency and use. Bilinguals were divided into two groups based on the cumulative score and compared on each task. We did not find any effect of language proficiency on any of the executive control measures. The additional Bayesian analysis also supported these findings. Therefore, the results do not support the claim that bilingual language proficiency modulates executive control, at least in the elderly population. We discuss the results with regard to the issue of bilingual advantage in executive control and the role of age and language use

Deaf participant details.

<p>Note: All deaf participants were congenitally deaf born to hearing parents and suffered from profound sensorineural hearing loss. They received education in special schools for the deaf in which the primary medium of communication was Indian Sign Language. They were asked to rate their sign language proficiency on a 3-point scale (1 –Low proficient, 2 –moderately proficient, 3 –high proficient). All the participants reported high proficiency (a rating of 3), NA–Not applicable</p><p>Deaf participant details.</p

Sequence of events in a sample trial.

<p>In this example there is an exogenous cue at 7 degree eccentricity. After a variable SOA, the target appears at the same location and stays till a manual response is made (or 2000 ms, whichever is the earliest). This is considered as a valid trial.</p

Oculomotor responses (a) Cueing effect for deaf and hearing groups (<i>p</i> = 0.05) (b) cueing effect at 150 ms, 450 ms and 800 ms SOA for both perifovea and periphery.

<p>The difference between perifovea and periphery is significant only at 150 ms and 450 ms SOA (<i>p <</i> 0.01). <i>Error bars represent ±1SD</i>.</p

Results on Naming latency in the cued block (Experiment 1).

<p>Results on Naming latency in the cued block (Experiment 1).</p

Correlation plot for L2 switch rate (when participants switched to the language indicated by the cartoon) vs L2 fluency for Experiment 2 and 3.

<p>Correlation plot for L2 switch rate (when participants switched to the language indicated by the cartoon) vs L2 fluency for Experiment 2 and 3.</p

Proportion of choices as a function of language chosen in the voluntary block (Expt. 1–3)

<p>Proportion of choices as a function of language chosen in the voluntary block (Expt. 1–3)</p

Sequence of events on voluntary trials in Experiment 2 and Experiment 3.

<p>Sequence of events on voluntary trials in Experiment 2 and Experiment 3.</p