{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,1]],"date-time":"2026-07-01T18:07:22Z","timestamp":1782929242143,"version":"3.54.5"},"reference-count":50,"publisher":"MIT Press","issue":"2","funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001809","name":"National Natural Science Foundation of China","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["32260207"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["32260207"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001809","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"name":"Humanities and Social Sciences Research Project of the Ministry of Education of China","award":["21XJA190005"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["21XJA190005"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["direct.mit.edu"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":[],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2025,2,1]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title>\n               <jats:p>Attentional mechanisms are the primary processes for performing working memory (WM) tasks and can prevent distractors from interfering with the content representations stored in WM. However, our understanding of the mechanisms by which attention affects WM remains limited. As such, we analyzed ERPs of the character n-back task to investigate Chinese character selection, updating, and maintenance in WM. In Experiment 1, we collected electroencephalography data from 27 participants aged 18\u201325 years to explore the influence of false-character interference and symbol interference on a neural activity in the character n-back task. The results suggest that RT was longer in the false-character interference condition. The N2pc and P300 amplitudes were smaller; however, the slow wave amplitude did not differ significantly. In Experiment 2, we used a single-symbol interference and a multiple-symbol interference to establish whether the number of interferences affected the neural activity in the character n-back task. Thirty participants (aged 19\u201325 years) took part in the experiment. The findings imply that a longer RT and a larger N2pc amplitude occurred in the multiple-symbol interference condition, but not in the P300 and slow wave conditions. Our findings indicate that distractors that are similar to characters may produce greater interference in character recognition and affect the subsequent updating, whereas the number of distractors may only interfere with early character selection, but not with updating and maintenance phases.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1162\/jocn_a_02271","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,11,1]],"date-time":"2024-11-01T18:47:28Z","timestamp":1730486848000},"page":"317-333","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1162\/mitpressjournals.corrections.policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["Similarity Distractors Increase the Burden of Chinese Character Selection and Updating in Working Memory"],"prefix":"10.1162","volume":"37","author":[{"given":"Hongli","family":"Li","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Xin","family":"Zhao","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"281","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,2,1]]},"reference":[{"key":"2025012115454871500_bib1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"829","DOI":"10.1038\/nrn1201","article-title":"Working memory: Looking back and looking forward","volume":"4","author":"Baddeley","year":"2003","journal-title":"Nature Reviews Neuroscience"},{"key":"2025012115454871500_bib2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1146\/annurev-psych-120710-100422","article-title":"Working memory: Theories, models, and controversies","volume":"63","author":"Baddeley","year":"2012","journal-title":"Annual Review of Psychology"},{"key":"2025012115454871500_bib3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"141","DOI":"10.1027\/0269-8803\/a000164","article-title":"Slow wave activity related to working memory maintenance in the N-Back task","volume":"30","author":"Bailey","year":"2016","journal-title":"Journal of Psychophysiology"},{"key":"2025012115454871500_bib4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"43","DOI":"10.1016\/j.bandc.2014.04.003","article-title":"Slow wave maturation on a visual working memory task","volume":"88","author":"Barriga-Paulino","year":"2014","journal-title":"Brain and Cognition"},{"key":"2025012115454871500_bib5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e13062","DOI":"10.1111\/psyp.13062","article-title":"Manipulating the focus of attention in working memory: Evidence for a protection of multiple items against perceptual interference","volume":"55","author":"Barth","year":"2018","journal-title":"Psychophysiology"},{"key":"2025012115454871500_bib6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1163","DOI":"10.1097\/WNR.0b013e3281e72d1b","article-title":"The N2pc component and stimulus duration","volume":"18","author":"Brisson","year":"2007","journal-title":"NeuroReport"},{"key":"2025012115454871500_bib7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"727","DOI":"10.3758\/BF03206059","article-title":"Spatial selection via feature-driven inhibition of distractor locations","volume":"60","author":"Cepeda","year":"1998","journal-title":"Perception & Psychophysics"},{"key":"2025012115454871500_bib8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1546","DOI":"10.1016\/j.clinph.2008.03.003","article-title":"Sub-processes of working memory in the N-back task: An investigation using ERPs","volume":"119","author":"Chen","year":"2008","journal-title":"Clinical Neurophysiology"},{"key":"2025012115454871500_bib9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"62","DOI":"10.1017\/CBO9781139174909.006","article-title":"An embedded-processes model of working memory","volume-title":"Models of working memory: Mechanisms of active maintenance and executive control","author":"Cowan","year":"1999"},{"key":"2025012115454871500_bib10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"436","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1469-8986.2007.00514.x","article-title":"The interdependence of spatial attention and lexical access as revealed by early asymmetries in occipito-parietal ERP activity","volume":"44","author":"Dell\u2019Acqua","year":"2007","journal-title":"Psychophysiology"},{"key":"2025012115454871500_bib11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"433","DOI":"10.1037\/0033-295X.96.3.433","article-title":"Visual search and stimulus similarity","volume":"96","author":"Duncan","year":"1989","journal-title":"Psychological Review"},{"key":"2025012115454871500_bib12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"551","DOI":"10.1037\/0096-1523.17.2.551","article-title":"Parallel versus serial processing in visual search: Further evidence from subadditive effects of visual quality","volume":"17","author":"Egeth","year":"1991","journal-title":"Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance"},{"key":"2025012115454871500_bib13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"225","DOI":"10.1016\/0013-4694(96)95711-9","article-title":"The N2pc component as an indicator of attentional selectivity","volume":"99","author":"Eimer","year":"1996","journal-title":"Electroencephalography and Clinical Neurophysiology"},{"key":"2025012115454871500_bib14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"260","DOI":"10.1016\/S0168-5597(97)00085-3","article-title":"P3, positive slow wave and working memory load: A study on the functional correlates of slow wave activity","volume":"108","author":"Garc\u00eda-Larrea","year":"1998","journal-title":"Electroencephalography and Clinical Neurophysiology"},{"key":"2025012115454871500_bib15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"829","DOI":"10.1093\/cercor\/10.9.829","article-title":"Neurophysiological measures of working memory and individual differences in cognitive ability and cognitive style","volume":"10","author":"Gevins","year":"2000","journal-title":"Cerebral Cortex"},{"key":"2025012115454871500_bib100","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"871","DOI":"10.1080\/13803391003596421","article-title":"The validity of d prime as a working memory index: Results from the \u201cBergen n-back task\u201d","volume":"32","author":"Haatveit","year":"2010","journal-title":"Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology"},{"key":"2025012115454871500_bib16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"760","DOI":"10.1162\/jocn.2009.21039","article-title":"Electrophysiological indices of target and distractor processing in visual search","volume":"21","author":"Hickey","year":"2009","journal-title":"Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience"},{"key":"2025012115454871500_bib17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"604","DOI":"10.1162\/jocn.2006.18.4.604","article-title":"Electrophysiological evidence of the capture of visual attention","volume":"18","author":"Hickey","year":"2006","journal-title":"Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience"},{"key":"2025012115454871500_bib18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"61","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jecp.2007.01.002","article-title":"In search of subtypes of Chinese developmental dyslexia","volume":"97","author":"Ho","year":"2007","journal-title":"Journal of Experimental Child Psychology"},{"key":"2025012115454871500_bib19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"17","DOI":"10.1016\/S0926-6410(02)00213-6","article-title":"How does attention attenuate target-distractor interference in vision? Evidence from magnetoencephalographic recordings","volume":"15","author":"Hopf","year":"2002","journal-title":"Cognitive Brain Research"},{"key":"2025012115454871500_bib20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"405","DOI":"10.1007\/s10936-006-9022-y","article-title":"Analysis of a Chinese phonetic compound database: Implications for orthographic processing","volume":"35","author":"Hsiao","year":"2006","journal-title":"Journal of Psycholinguistic Research"},{"key":"2025012115454871500_bib21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"664","DOI":"10.1037\/\/0096-1523.27.3.664","article-title":"The influence of temporal selection on spatial selection and distractor interference: An attentional blink study","volume":"27","author":"Jiang","year":"2001","journal-title":"Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance"},{"key":"2025012115454871500_bib22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"167","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1469-8986.1980.tb00131.x","article-title":"P300 and stimulus categorization: Two plus one is not so different from one plus one","volume":"17","author":"Johnson","year":"1980","journal-title":"Psychophysiology"},{"key":"2025012115454871500_bib23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"235","DOI":"10.1016\/S0926-6410(97)00035-9","article-title":"Central executive function in working memory: Event-related brain potential studies","volume":"6","author":"Kiss","year":"1998","journal-title":"Cognitive Brain Research"},{"key":"2025012115454871500_bib24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"112356","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijpsycho.2024.112356","article-title":"Neural mechanisms of Chinese character recognition, updating, and maintenance in the N-back task","volume":"200","author":"Li","year":"2024","journal-title":"International Journal of Psychophysiology"},{"key":"2025012115454871500_bib25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"5553","DOI":"10.1111\/ejn.16508","article-title":"Decoding the neural impact of radical complexity in Chinese characters during working memory task","volume":"60","author":"Li","year":"2024","journal-title":"European Journal of Neuroscience"},{"key":"2025012115454871500_bib26","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"64","DOI":"10.1006\/cogp.1997.0660","article-title":"Bridging the gap between monkey neurophysiology and human perception: An ambiguity resolution theory of visual selective attention","volume":"33","author":"Luck","year":"1997","journal-title":"Cognitive Psychology"},{"key":"2025012115454871500_bib27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1000","DOI":"10.1037\/\/0096-1523.20.5.1000","article-title":"Spatial filtering during visual search: Evidence from human electrophysiology","volume":"20","author":"Luck","year":"1994","journal-title":"Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance"},{"key":"2025012115454871500_bib28","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"771","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1469-8986.2009.00814.x","article-title":"An electrophysiological assessment of distractor suppression in visual search tasks","volume":"46","author":"Mazza","year":"2009","journal-title":"Psychophysiology"},{"key":"2025012115454871500_bib29","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"879","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cortex.2008.10.009","article-title":"Attention selection, distractor suppression and N2pc","volume":"45","author":"Mazza","year":"2009","journal-title":"Cortex"},{"key":"2025012115454871500_bib31","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"411","DOI":"10.1037\/0278-7393.28.3.411","article-title":"Access to information in working memory: Exploring the focus of attention","volume":"28","author":"Oberauer","year":"2002","journal-title":"Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition"},{"key":"2025012115454871500_bib32","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"46","DOI":"10.1002\/hbm.20131","article-title":"N-back working memory paradigm: A meta-analysis of normative functional neuroimaging studies","volume":"25","author":"Owen","year":"2005","journal-title":"Human Brain Mapping"},{"key":"2025012115454871500_bib33","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"601","DOI":"10.1038\/s41586-021-03390-w","article-title":"Shared mechanisms underlie the control of working memory and attention","volume":"592","author":"Panichello","year":"2021","journal-title":"Nature"},{"key":"2025012115454871500_bib34","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"107977","DOI":"10.1016\/j.biopsycho.2020.107977","article-title":"Age-related changes in selection, recognition, updating and maintenance information in WM. An ERP study in children and adolescents","volume":"157","author":"Pelegrina","year":"2020","journal-title":"Biological Psychology"},{"key":"2025012115454871500_bib35","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2128","DOI":"10.1016\/j.clinph.2007.04.019","article-title":"Updating P300: An integrative theory of P3a and P3b","volume":"118","author":"Polich","year":"2007","journal-title":"Clinical Neurophysiology"},{"key":"2025012115454871500_bib36","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"172","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijpsycho.2005.12.012","article-title":"Neuropsychology and neuropharmacology of P3a and P3b","volume":"60","author":"Polich","year":"2006","journal-title":"International Journal of Psychophysiology"},{"key":"2025012115454871500_bib37","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"107769","DOI":"10.1016\/j.biopsycho.2019.107769","article-title":"Revisiting the relationship between the P3b and working memory updating","volume":"148","author":"Rac-Lubashevsky","year":"2019","journal-title":"Biological Psychology"},{"key":"2025012115454871500_bib38","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"108485","DOI":"10.1016\/j.biopsycho.2023.108485","article-title":"Neural signatures for the n-back task with different loads: An event-related potential study","volume":"177","author":"Ren","year":"2023","journal-title":"Biological Psychology"},{"key":"2025012115454871500_bib101","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"49","DOI":"10.1027\/0269-8803\/a000167","article-title":"The P3 parietal-to-frontal shift relates to age-related slowing in a selective attention task","volume":"31","author":"Reuter","year":"2017","journal-title":"Journal of Psychophysiology"},{"key":"2025012115454871500_bib39","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"522","DOI":"10.1162\/jocn.2006.18.4.522","article-title":"Attentional preparation for a lateralized visual distractor: Behavioral and fMRI evidence","volume":"18","author":"Ruff","year":"2006","journal-title":"Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience"},{"key":"2025012115454871500_bib40","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"78","DOI":"10.1598\/RRQ.32.1.5","article-title":"Role of radical awareness in the character and word acquisition of Chinese children","volume":"32","author":"Shu","year":"1997","journal-title":"Reading Research Quarterly"},{"key":"2025012115454871500_bib41","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"27","DOI":"10.1111\/1467-8624.00519","article-title":"Properties of school Chinese: Implications for learning to read","volume":"74","author":"Shu","year":"2003","journal-title":"Child Development"},{"key":"2025012115454871500_bib42","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"137","DOI":"10.1007\/s11704-007-0015-2","article-title":"Offline Chinese handwriting recognition: An assessment of current technology","volume":"1","author":"Srihari","year":"2007","journal-title":"Frontiers of Computer Science in China"},{"key":"2025012115454871500_bib43","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"539","DOI":"10.1038\/382539a0","article-title":"Attentional modulation of visual motion processing in cortical areas MT and MST","volume":"382","author":"Treue","year":"1996","journal-title":"Nature"},{"key":"2025012115454871500_bib44","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"233","DOI":"10.1016\/j.biopsycho.2018.01.007","article-title":"Neural signatures for active maintenance and interference during working memory updating","volume":"132","author":"Vil\u00e0-Ball\u00f3","year":"2018","journal-title":"Biological Psychology"},{"key":"2025012115454871500_bib45","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"998","DOI":"10.1111\/1469-8986.3860998","article-title":"The n-back as a dual-task: P300 morphology under divided attention","volume":"38","author":"Watter","year":"2001","journal-title":"Psychophysiology"},{"key":"2025012115454871500_bib46","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"867","DOI":"10.1038\/23698","article-title":"Electrophysiological measurement of rapid shifts of attention during visual search","volume":"400","author":"Woodman","year":"1999","journal-title":"Nature"},{"key":"2025012115454871500_bib47","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"121","DOI":"10.1037\/\/0096-1523.29.1.121","article-title":"Serial deployment of attention during visual search","volume":"29","author":"Woodman","year":"2003","journal-title":"Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance"},{"key":"2025012115454871500_bib48","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"223","DOI":"10.3758\/PBR.15.1.223","article-title":"Selective storage and maintenance of an object\u2019s features in visual working memory","volume":"15","author":"Woodman","year":"2008","journal-title":"Psychonomic Bulletin & Review"},{"key":"2025012115454871500_bib49","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"503","DOI":"10.1080\/016909699386176","article-title":"Sublexical processing in reading Chinese: A development study","volume":"14","author":"Wu","year":"1999","journal-title":"Language and Cognitive Processes"}],"container-title":["Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/direct.mit.edu\/jocn\/article-pdf\/37\/2\/317\/2477615\/jocn_a_02271.pdf","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"syndication"},{"URL":"https:\/\/direct.mit.edu\/jocn\/article-pdf\/37\/2\/317\/2477615\/jocn_a_02271.pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,1,21]],"date-time":"2025-01-21T16:08:01Z","timestamp":1737475681000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/direct.mit.edu\/jocn\/article\/37\/2\/317\/125078\/Similarity-Distractors-Increase-the-Burden-of"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025]]},"references-count":50,"journal-issue":{"issue":"2","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,2,1]]},"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2025,2,1]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1162\/jocn_a_02271","relation":{},"ISSN":["0898-929X","1530-8898"],"issn-type":[{"value":"0898-929X","type":"print"},{"value":"1530-8898","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published-other":{"date-parts":[[2025]]},"published":{"date-parts":[[2025]]}}}