The Role of Attention in Image Memorability: Evidence from the Attentional Blink

Images vary in how likely they are to be remembered, a characteristic referred to as memorability. While previous work has identified perceptual and semantic features that predict image memorability, less is known about how those features engage the cognitive systems that support memory. One open question is whether attention plays a role. Although some findings suggest that memorability operates independently of attention, these experiments have only tested a limited set of attentional mechanisms. The present research examines whether temporal attention contributes to image memorability using the attentional blink (AB), a phenomenon in which detection of a second target (T2) is impaired when it appears shortly after the first (T1). Two experiments used a rapid serial visual presentation (RSVP) task with streams of images containing two intact targets among scrambled distractors. In Experiment 1, T1 memorability was manipulated, while in Experiment 2, T2 memorability was manipulated. In both experiments, the temporal gap between targets was also manipulated to assess how target memorability influences AB dynamics. Results showed that highly memorable T1s exacerbated the AB, suggesting they engage attention for longer. In contrast, highly memorable T2s attenuated the AB, indicating that they may more effectively trigger the attentional processes required for encoding. These findings suggest that memorability does not operate independently of attention but instead reflects how effectively an image engages the cognitive processes needed for encoding.