Distinct roles of theta and alpha oscillations in the process of contingent attentional capture

Introduction Visual spatial attention can be captured by a salient color singleton that is contingent on the target feature. A previous study reported theta (4–7 Hz) and alpha (8–14 oscillations were related to attentional capture, but corresponding mechanisms of these remain unclear. Methods In this study, we analyzed electroencephalogram data our investigate roles capture-related oscillation activities. Different from used color-changed placeholders as irrelevant cues, present adopted abrupt onsets cues which tend elicit phase-locked neural Experiment 1, participants completed peripheral visual search task in spatially uninformative inside window central rapid serial presentation (RSVP) same outside window. 2, RSVP size not feature, respectively. Results elicited lateralized activities when they irrespective whether or contrast, lateralization only further found vanished if Discussion These results suggest distinct process capture initiated cues. Theta may reflect global enhancement while engagement relevant oscillations, together with distractor-elicited N2pc component, might consist multiple stages processes during capture.