Figure 1.

Alpha amplitude during working memory retention as a function of sensory recruitment, external distraction and item‐specific prioritisation. In scenario (A), the memory array contains verbal material that is encoded in visual areas but retained elsewhere (e.g. in prefrontal, or language areas). In M/EEG recordings from the visual areas during the retention interval, alpha power increases with load (as in e.g. Jensen et al., 2002), as well as with the level of (anticipated) external distraction (as in e.g. Bonnefond & Jensen, 2012). In contrast, in scenario (B), the memory array contains visual items that, this time, are not only encoded but also retained in visual areas (because the task requires the retention of the precise visual identity – orientations and colours – of the items). Alpha power in M/EEG recordings from the visual areas now decreases with load (as in e.g. van Ede et al., 2017a) and decreases further when items are placed in a prioritised state based on current attentional demands (as in e.g. Myers et al., 2015). How (expected) distraction in the sensory recruitment case (scenario B) and item‐specific prioritisation in the non‐sensory recruitment case (scenario A) affect alpha remains to be more systematically investigated and is therefore not included in the schematic. M/EEG, Magneto/Electroencephalography; FFT, fast Fourier transform.