Leising, Kenneth J.2025-05-072025-05-072025-04-24https://repository.tcu.edu/handle/116099117/67069Cues that signal the relevance of a specific visual stimulus, whether given before (pre-cue) or after (retro-cue), has been shown to enhance visual working memory performance across different species. Nonetheless, this performance has been studied only using visual cues, ignoring other sensory modalities (e.g., auditory) that provide relevant information about the surroundings in a natural environment. In a series of three experiments, I explored how presenting cues from different modalities (i.e., auditory and visual) affects performance in a visual working memory task in humans (Experiment 1), and how this performance can change when a secondary, tasks that selectively interfere with identity and spatial processing, is presented (Experiment 3). In addition, I explored for the first time to my knowledge, the effect of pre- and retro-cues from different modalities in Pigeons (Experiment 2). Results suggested that visual cues are more effective engaging visual processing, contrary to predictions. Similarly, auditory cues are more sensitive to the interference from the different secondary tasks, particularly to the spatial one. Finally, pre-cued trials were more effective on improving performance than retro-cues. Overall, cueing benefits seem to interact with the modality of the cues and the difficulty of the task to improve participants performance.Format: OnlineenExperimental psychologyComparative cognitionCrossmodal effectsCueing effectsVisual working memoryText