We explored top-down modulation of spatial frequency (SF) processing. When auditory pre-cueing directed observers' attention to one of two 4-octaves (SF) apart plaid components observers tended to perceive the cued component, suggesting selective attention to the SF channel they expected to carry task relevant information. In agreement, pre-cueing had no effect with components often processed b...

Perceptual problems often call upon the application of a variety of knowledge sources. An automated problem solver can utilize much of this knowledge in the form of top-down guidance to improve accuracy and reduce processing time. Ironically, most automated hand-written character recognition systems, which are highly accurate, seldom use any top-down guidance. This paper describes an approach t...

According to embodied theories, the processing of emotions such as happiness or fear is grounded in emotion-specific perceptual, bodily, and physiological processes. Under these views, perceiving an emotional stimulus (e.g., a fearful face) re-enacts interoceptive bodily states congruent with that emotion increases heart rate); turn, changes rate) influence content. A previous study by Pezzulo ...

Attention exhibits characteristic neural signatures in brain regions that process sensory signals. An important area of future research is to understand the nature of top-down signals that facilitate attentional guidance towards behaviorally relevant locations and features. In this review, we discuss recent studies that have made progress towards understanding: (i) the brain structures and circ...