Fig. 1.
The overall layout of the task is shown along with different components and their onsets marked along the timeline. During each trial, subjects were presented with a fixation cross for 1100 ms, followed by either a negative or neutral picture presented for a total of 2200 ms. 1100 ms following picture onset, 2 isoluminant circles were presented bilaterally and subjects’ reported, using a button response, on which side they see the blue circle. Each trial was followed by a randomly jittered intertrial interval (ITI). The aim of the task was to minimize cognitive load (via a simple perceptual decision) but still assay the effect of negative distraction on behavior via reaction time of making the perceptual decision.