| Sumario: | Everyday visual search often requires maintenance of multiple target templates in working memory (WM). One template in WM may be currently relevant, while another may be relevant for a subsequent search (prospective template). The designation of prospective template may impact the effectiveness of the template. Here, we assessed this impact across stages of processing as search unfolds across a trial. We analyzed eye movement behaviour in a sequential search task. Before the two search displays, a cued target display indicated which item would be the target in the first display (current template) and which in the second display (prospective template). Two experiments showed that search was faster in the first display than the second. We found that prioritization of the current template in WM affects the scanning and verification phases but not search initiation. In scanning, a current template led to fewer objects visited, shorter fixation time, and reduced scanning time compared with a prospective template. In verification, a current template had reduced gaze duration on the target. The findings suggest that prioritization in WM facilitates matching a fixated object to an internal representation of the target, supporting the idea that the current template is characterized by higher precision.
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