Influence of presentation duration on filtering of irrelevant stimuli in visual working memory

In an environment teeming with distractions, the ability to selectively focus on relevant information is crucial for advanced cognitive processing. Existing research utilizing event-related potential (ERP) technology has indicated active suppression of irrelevant stimuli during the consolidation phase of visual working memory (VWM). In previous studies, participants have always been given sufficient time to consolidate VWM while suppressing distracting information. However, a question remains as to whether the suppression of irrelevant distractors requires continuous effort throughout their presence or whether this suppression is only necessary after the consolidation of task-relevant information. To address this question, our study examines the necessity of distractor suppression processing in scenarios where consolidation time is limited. This research explores how varying the presentation duration affects the filtering of distractors in VWM. We tasked participants with memorizing two color stimuli while ignoring four distractors presented for either 50 ms or 200 ms. Utilizing ERP technology, we discovered that the distractor-induced distractor positivity (PD) amplitude is larger during longer presentation durations compared to shorter ones. These findings highlight the substantial influence of the presentation duration on the efficacy of distractor suppression in VWM, as prolonged exposure results in a stronger suppression effect on distractors. This study illuminates the temporal dynamics of attention and memory, emphasizing the critical role of stimulus timing in cognitive tasks. It provides valuable insights into the mechanisms underlying VWM and has implications for models of attention and memory.