Learning in the Target Prevalence Effect

Abstract

Rare or low prevalence targets are detected less well than counterparts that occur with higher probability. It stands to reason, though, that before such a deficit is apparent, information about a given target’s probability of occurrence must be apprehended. In this study, we investigated how much target experience is necessary for target probabilities to be fully acquired and established within mental task representations. A central finding was that different target probability values required approximately the same amount of target sampling to learn. This was true whether learning about target probabilities from a naive start-point (Experiment 1) or when recalibrating from one probability value to another (Experiment 2). We discuss these findings in relation to how mental task representations are modified when new task-relevant information is received and the attentional consequences of such changes.