Psychological Development and Education ›› 2011, Vol. 27 ›› Issue (6): 561-568.

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Attentional load has no Effect on Implicit Sequence Learning: Evidence from Event-Related Potential Studies

LU Zhang-long, LV Yong, SHEN De-li   

  1. Academy of Psychololgy and Behavior in Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin 300074
  • Online:2011-11-15 Published:2011-11-15

Abstract: Cognitive psychologists have investigated the relationship between implicit sequence learning and attention for over two decades,but cognitive and neural mechanisms underlying this relationship is unclear.Some researchers suggest that implicit sequence learning requires attentional resources;Other researchers propose that implicit sequence learning is an automatic process that does not require attentional resources.Most previous studies used typical dual-task sequence learning procedure with a secondary tone-counting task.Unfortunately,there were inherent limitations in the secondary task used in the dual task sequence learning experiments which might make the relationship between implicit sequence learning and attention obscure.So we used a new method to explore the relationship between implicit sequence learning and attention,we manipulated the distinctness of stimulus.We hypothesized that there were sequence learning effect in both high attentional load sequence and low attentional load sequence;The amplitude of P1 and N1 evoked by detected stimulus of high attentional sequence was bigger than low attentional sequence;There were no significant difference in implicit sequence learning scores between high attentional load sequence and low attentional load sequence. Eighteen volunteers from University took part in this experiment,they were instructed to make a compatible key press to the letter as soon as possible,the response accuracy was also stressed.The EEG was recorded from 64 scalp sites using Ag/AgCl electrodes.Signals were averaged offline for 600ms with an additional 100ms recorded prior to stimulus onset to allow for baseline correction.The ERP were averaged separately for high attentional load and low attentional load detected trials.Peak amplitude values were computed for 80-120ms(P1);130-170ms (N1)time intervals,time locked to detected stimulus onset(time 0),these ERP measures were obtained from eight electrodes:O1、O2、PO3、PO4、PO5、PO6、PO7、PO8.A repeated measures AVOVA on the peak amplitude of each component was conducted. The results were as follows:(1)There were sequence learning effect in both high attentional load sequence and low attentional load sequence;(2)The amplitude of P1 and N1 evoked by detected stimulus of high attentional sequence was bigger than low attentional sequence,which indicated more attention was needed in high attentional sequence condition.(3)There were no significant difference in implicit sequence learning scores between high attentional load sequence and low attentional load sequence.These results suggested attentional load has no effect on implicit sequence learning.

Key words: implicit learning, serial reaction time task, attention, ERP

CLC Number: 

  • B844.3
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