Attentional Boost Effect and Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs
The attentional boost effect (ABE), suggests that attention to one task will improve performance in a second, independent task. Overall this phenomenon is generalizable; it is seen with various types of stimuli. An important question still that remains is how emotion can impact the way you process information, specifically during dual-task performances. In this study, participants were tasked with monitoring a series of distractor targets in order to look for an occasional target, while also encoding words related to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. The appearance of an occasional target could draw attention away from the second task of encoding the independent words or alternatively, it could improve secondary task performance confirming ABE. Further, this study is investigating if overall memory is different for each of the five levels: physiological, safety and security, love and belonging, self-esteem, and self-actualization.