# Reappearing sensory input guides visual working memory prioritization

## TL;DR

This study shows that when some visual information reappears in the environment, it helps prioritize other unrelated information stored in working memory.

## Contribution

The study reveals that reappearing sensory input can dynamically prioritize nonreappearing memorized items in visual working memory.

## Key findings

- Reappearing sensory input improves accuracy and speed in visual working memory tasks similarly to spatial retro cues.
- Prioritization is strongest when reappearing items match the content of visual working memory in both location and orientation.
- The sensory input-VWM relationship is bidirectional, with sensory input facilitating prioritization of other memory content.

## Abstract

Adaptive behavior necessitates the prioritization of the most relevant information in the environment (external) and in memory (internal). Internal prioritization is known to guide the selection of external sensory input, but the reverse may also be possible: Does the environment guide the prioritization of memorized material? Here, we addressed whether reappearing sensory input could facilitate the prioritization of other nonreappearing memorized items held in visual working memory (VWM). Participants (total n = 96) memorized three orientations. Crucially some, but not all, items maintained in VWM were made available again in the environment. These reappearing items never had to be reproduced later. Experiment 1 showed that the reappearance of all but one memory item benefited accuracy and speed to the same extent as a spatial retro cue. This shows that reappearing items allow for the dynamic prioritization of another nonreappearing memorized item. What aspects of the reappearing sensory input drive this effect? Experiments 2–4 demonstrated that prioritization was facilitated most if reappearing items matched VWM content in terms of both location and orientation. Sensory input fully matching VWM is possibly processed more efficiently and/or protects against interference, ultimately leading to stronger prioritization of other memory content. We propose that the link between sensory processing and VWM is bidirectional: internal representations guide the processing of sensory input, which in turn facilitates the prioritization of other VWM content to subserve adaptive behavior. All data and analysis scripts are available online (https://osf.io/qzvkc/).