Does the capacity of visual working memory affect the degree to which information matching its content is prioritized for consciousness?

Abstract

Studies have found that the visual working memory (VWM) plays a role in the selection of visual input, prioritizing information that matches information already present in the VWM. This study investigates the effect of VWM capacity on prioritization of information matching the content of VWM. VWM capacity was measured by a single probe recognition task. Using a b-CFS-task combined with a delayed match to sample task, prioritization for consciousness was studied using probes that matched items held actively or passively in VWM. The results of this experiment showed no significant effect of VWM capacity on prioritization for consciousness of information matching actively or passively held items in VWM. Together these results show that VWM capacity has no effect on prioritization of information matching items held in VWM.