Abstract
We investigated the relationship between visual statistical learning (VSL) and visual spatial attention. Triplets consisting of pictures that appeared in the same order were presented to the left and right visual fields across a center fixation point. In the learning phase, participants were instructed to attend to either the left or right side and perform a 1-back task on the visual field they attended to. The test phase was conducted immediately after the learning phase. Recognition speed for the pictures consisting the triplets was measured using a rapid serial visual presentation (RSVP) paradigm, in which participants had to detect a target within a stream of stimuli. The reaction times (RTs) for recognition decreased with the triplet position, irrespective of whether the target was previously attended or not in the learning phase. These findings suggested that visual spatial attention biased to left or right visual field does not affect VSL.
