Does anticipated effort modulate attentional biases for aversively conditioned stimuli?

Our attention prioritizes stimuli that are of importance to us, whether that be stimuli to approach or avoid, and experience with stimuli associated with the exertion of effort has been shown to be prioritized in the same value-driven manner. The context in which we interact with these stimuli can also play a role in whether they are prioritized. Previous work has shown modulatory effects of a threatening context on value-driven attention. In an ongoing study, we are seeking to better understand how independent value-driven sources interact to determine attentional priority, particularly whether attentional bias toward aversively conditioned stimuli would be modulated by contexts that are predictive of different subsequent workloads. In a training phase, participants fixate one of three color-square targets (red, blue, or green). One of the three colors is paired with a shock (CS+) immediately after fixating, while for the other two colors, no shock occurs (CS-). Then in the following test phase, participants see one of two context background images (rock, forest) and are told that one predicts the need to exert high effort (manipulated via force applied to a hand dynamometer), while the other predicts no effort requirement. Overlaid on the background image, prior to the exertion of any physical effort, is a search array containing a circle target and square distractor, which are rendered in the same colors used during training. Preliminary data shows a bias toward the CS+ color, however this effect is unmodulated by expected effort requirements. A subsequent experiment will reverse the role of effort and shock to address whether there is a threshold at which contexts signaling a particular value modulate an existing bias, shedding light on potential factors that can mitigate bias when our goals have changed.