LescuyerDeDecker2025ASAUIVC

Title

Attraction and Suppression of Attention: Unravelling the Intricacies of Visual Capture
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Authors

Lou Lescuyer-DeDecker, Alessandro E. P. Villa, Alessandra Lintas, Dirk Kerzel

Affiliations

Department of Psychology, University of Geneva, Switzerland; Neuroheuristic Research Laboratory, University of Lausanne, Switzerland.

Abstract

The human brain continuously filters sensory information, selectively enhancing relevant inputs while suppressing distractions. Two electrophysiological markers, the N2pc and the distractor positivity (PD), are central to this process. The N2pc reflects attentional allocation, whereas the PD is thought to index distractor suppression. Yet, ambiguities remain: electroencephalography (EEG) measures relative voltage differences, making it unclear whether the PD reflects genuine inhibition or attentional shifts. We introduce a multimodal protocol combining EEG with frequency-domain functional near-infrared spectroscopy (FNIRS) to clarify distractor suppression mechanisms. Participants perform a visual search task requiring enumeration of target occurrences across sequential displays, with distractors presented on half of the trials. Analyses will focus on the N2pc and PD component as electrophysiological markers of attentional selection and suppression, while FNIRS signals will assess activation in visual, parietal, and frontal regions. Combined analyses of EEG and FNIRS signals will test whether distractors evoke suppression below baseline. We expect the PD to be reliably elicited and associated with reduced visual cortex activity contralateral to distractors alongside enhanced frontal activation, supporting its interpretation as an inhibitory marker. This approach advances theories of attentional capture and may provide biomarkers for disorders such as ADHD.

KeyPhrases

Attentional capture, distractor suppression, EEG, FNIRS, N2pc, PD.

Dates

Created 2025-05-01, presented 2025-06-05, updated 2025-09-07, published 2025-09-08.

Citation

Brainiacs Journal 2025 Volume 6 Issue 1 Edoc W87F1A123
DOI: 10.48085/W87F1A123
NPDS: LINKS/Brainiacs/LescuyerDeDecker2025ASAUIVC