Exploring prioritisation effects across different forms of binding and motivational task contexts in working memory

In the limited capacity system of working memory (WM), attention can be directed to specific items for prioritisation, based on allocated ‘value’. This thesis investigated how allocated value affects memory performance in WM. Chapter 2 explored prioritisation effects in unitised (coloured shapes) and spatially separated (shape and colour as spatially proximate but separate stimuli) binding in online and lab-based experiments. Three online and one in-person experiments demonstrated that the prioritisation effect could be observed in unitised and spatially separated binding under at least controlled lab setting conditions. Additionally, there was better overall performance in unitised than spatially separated binding. Following that, Chapter 3 explored the prioritisation effect in unitised and cross-modal (shapes presented visually in synchrony with auditory colour names) binding in a lab-based study. A priority boost was observed in the higher-value items in unitised and cross-modal binding, and there were no differences in overall memory performance between binding types. As the online studies in Chapter 2 suggested that allocating attention could be challenging in the online experimental paradigm, Chapters 4 and 5 further explored the priority effect in the online experiments. In Chapter 4, monetary rewards were provided to participants in line with their performance, with a higher monetary reward for the high-value items. However, there was no clear sign of prioritisation. Consequently, to increase motivation in Chapter 5, prioritised items were tested in each trial by testing all items in the sequence. Results showed a clear priority boost. Taken together, this thesis demonstrated that prioritisation effects in WM were evident and equivalent across different binding types in lab settings, whereas this effect was less clear in online experimental settings. However, it can be argued that in the online experimental context, participants can be motivated to show a clear effect by increasing the testing frequency of prioritised items.