Semantic generalization of value-based attentional priority

Abstract

This study aimed to determine whether attentional prioritization of stimuli associated with reward transfers across conceptual knowledge independently of physical features. Participants successively performed two color-word Stroop tasks. In the learning phase, neutral words were associated with high, low, or no monetary reward. In the generalization phase (in which no reward was delivered), synonyms of words previously paired with reward served as Stroop stimuli. Results are consistent with semantic generalization of stimulus–reward associations, with synonyms of high-value words impairing color-naming performance, although this effect was particular to participants who were unaware of the reward contingencies.