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Attention to memory: orienting attention to sound object representations

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Abstract

Despite a growing acceptance that attention and memory interact, and that attention can be focused on an active internal mental representation (i.e., reflective attention), there has been a paucity of work focusing on reflective attention to ‘sound objects’ (i.e., mental representations of actual sound sources in the environment). Further research on the dynamic interactions between auditory attention and memory, as well as its degree of neuroplasticity, is important for understanding how sound objects are represented, maintained, and accessed in the brain. This knowledge can then guide the development of training programs to help individuals with attention and memory problems. This review article focuses on attention to memory with an emphasis on behavioral and neuroimaging studies that have begun to explore the mechanisms that mediate reflective attentional orienting in vision and more recently, in audition. Reflective attention refers to situations in which attention is oriented toward internal representations rather than focused on external stimuli. We propose four general principles underlying attention to short-term memory. Furthermore, we suggest that mechanisms involved in orienting attention to visual object representations may also apply for orienting attention to sound object representations.

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Notes

  1. Recall that we are using the term “perceptual” to refer to attention to ongoing, external stimuli (per Chun & Johnson, 2011).

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by grants from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (MOP106619, C.A.), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) (C.A.), and an award from NSERC Collaborative Research and Training Experience Program (K.C.B.).

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  1. Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Centre, Toronto, ON, M6A 2E1, Canada

    Kristina C. Backer & Claude Alain

  2. Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Kristina C. Backer & Claude Alain

  3. Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Claude Alain

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Backer, K.C., Alain, C. Attention to memory: orienting attention to sound object representations. Psychological Research 78, 439–452 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00426-013-0531-7

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