Faster attentional focusing in working memory instills better long-term memory

Working memory serves as a key gateway to the formation of lasting memories. While it is established how attentional focusing during working memory prioritizes internal representations for imminent tasks, the dynamic processes by which such internal focusing affects subsequent long-term memory remain underexplored. We developed a two-stage visual working-memory/long-term-memory task in which we cued visual objects during working memory and tracked the dynamics of attentional deployment through a recently uncovered gaze marker of internal focusing. Across two experiments, we found that attentional focusing during working memory benefits subsequent long-term memory for internally attended objects without a cost to unattended objects. Gaze biases associated with internal focusing revealed how this benefit was supported by the speed of attentional deployment, with faster attentional deployment predicting better subsequent memory. These results highlight how attentional focusing in working memory benefits long-term memory, and uncover the dynamic processes that instill such lasting benefits.