Load theory of selective attention and the role of perceptual load: Is it time for revision?

Perceptual load hypothesis is proposed as a compromise between early and late theory of selective attention which states that the selection will operate early when the load on perception is high and it will operate late when the load on perception is low. Experimental findings have shown that the perceptual load hypothesis is too simplistic in nature as perceptual load is not the only determinant of selection processes. It is difficult to apply the load hypothesis to explain the occurrence of early selection in low load displays as well as the selection processes that operate on distractor and target stimuli that are a part of the same object. Factors like spatial proximity, cues that manipulate the spatial extent of attentional focus, salience of targets as well as the distractors, and perceptual grouping between the target and the distractors should be taken into account while explaining the selective control of attention. Thus, the perceptual load of the display is one such factor that affects selective attention and goal-directed behaviour, but it is not the only factor to affect the selective control of attention.     

Attention and action: The role of response mappings in auditory attention switching

Switching auditory attention incurs a performance decrement (i.e. auditory attention-switch costs). Using an auditory attention-switching paradigm, we aimed to generalise these across different response mappings. In all three experiments, two number words, spoken by a female and male speaker, were presented dichotically via headphones. A visual cue indicated the gender of the to-be-attended speaker in each trial. The task was a magnitude judgement of the relevant number word (i.e. smaller vs. larger than 5). We additionally varied the interval between cue onset and auditory stimulus onset (cue-stimulus interval) to explore cue-based preparatory effects. In Experiment 1, attention switching was more costly with direct-verbal responses (e.g. ‘smaller’) than in the shadowing task (e.g. ‘three’). In Experiment 2, performance was largely similar for direct-verbal responses and abstract-verbal responses (e.g. ‘left’). In Experiment 3, performance was generally worse with abstract-verbal responses than with abstract-manual responses (e.g. left key press) and auditory attention-switch costs were similar for both response mappings. Overall, auditory switch costs occurred more or less invariably across response mappings in categorical (magnitude) judgements suggesting a minor role of the response mapping in auditory attention switching. Furthermore, verbal identity-based judgements (i.e. shadowing) generally seem to benefit from ideomotor compatibility.     

Preconscious effects of temporary goals on attention

Two experiments examined whether accessible goals preconsciously direct selective attention. Goal activation was manipulated by one's goal pursuit being either undermined or affirmed (resulting in an experienced state of either incompleteness or completeness). Attention responses were assessed through a Stroop-like task (Experiment 1) and a response-time task in which participants indicated a stimulus' direction of motion (Experiment 2). Results showed that when goals were accessible, attention was drawn toward goal-relevant items—even when these items were to be ignored and when responses occurred too fast for conscious control. Accessible goals directed implicit cognition (i.e., attention toward stimuli associated with the goal), despite the fact that these goals were not chronically held, but manipulated in the lab.     

No Time of Day Modulation or Time Stamp on Multiple Memory Tasks in Rats

Various demonstrations of “time stamp” effects in the animal learning literature have reinforced the idea that circadian information is encoded as part of a combined internal/external representation of context and that this contextual information is utilized for complex retrieval processes supporting memory. The goal of the present series of experiments is to assess this idea by manipulating training/testing circadian times on a battery of learning and memory tasks commonly used in the rodent. The data obtained from five experiments using four different learning and memory paradigms provide no evidence for “time stamp” effects on place memory, context memory (aversive or appetitive), or S-R habit learning.     

Confirming the Factor Structure of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms in Adult, Nonclinical Samples

Three separate models have been proposed to describe the factor structure of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in the past 20 years. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-III (DSM-III, 1980) proposed 3 separate factors of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. The DSM-III-R (1987) proposed a single factor. The DSM-IV (1994) described the disorder as having 2 factors: hyperactivity/impulsivity and inattention. The following 2 studies employed confirmatory factor analysis to compare each of these models and 3 alternative models. University students completed questionnaires that assessed each of the 18 symptoms listed in the DSM-IV for ADHD. The 3-factor model fit the data significantly better than each of the other models in both studies. These findings suggest that a 3-factor model of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity describes adult ADHD symptoms better than current alternatives.     

创造性的生理研究新进展

创造性的生理基础很复杂。关于创造性生理基础的研究集中在大脑皮质激活与脑半球不对称两个方面。研究发现,大脑皮质激活状态对创造性有影响,低水平的皮质激活,特别是低水平的前额叶激活,较有利于创造性．研究还发现,创造性和左右半球不对称活动有关,处于创造状态时,右半球相对要比左半球激活程度更高。     

Habituation in high‐risk infants: reliability and patterns of responding

We examined both the reliability of infant‐controlled habituation and patterns of responding in a group of high‐risk infants (mean age 16 mos). Good test–retest reliability was found for mean, total, and baseline looking time for one of the stimuli. Classification of infants' pattern of performance yielded two groups: linear (57%) and non‐linear (29%) responders; 14% of cases could not be classified because of cross‐session inconsistencies in performance. Linear responders had shorter total looking times, fewer trials to criterion, and showed more habituation than non‐linear responders, thus validating the linear/non‐linear distinction. Our findings indicate that the infant‐controlled habituation task can be used reliably with infants who are at high risk for developmental disorders. Indeed, we provide evidence that this task is not only reliable, but may also provide meaningful distinctions between infants within the high‐risk population. Discussion focuses on the role of attention in distinguishing between short (linear) and long (non‐linear) lookers. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

小学生视觉-空间表征类型和数学问题解决的研究

本研究考察并比较了四至六年级儿童的视觉－空间表征策略、数学问题解决和空间视觉化能力。结果表明：五、六年级儿童的解题正确率、使用图式表征策略的程度显著高于四年级儿童;使用图像表征策略的程度各年级无显著差异。将数学问题分成三个难度等级,发现年级差异主要表现在难度等级1的题目上。另外,六年级儿童的空间视觉化能力显著高于四年级儿童。     

前、后注意网络的关系--返回抑制和Stroop干扰效应

将IOR范式与Stroop任务相结合,试图从探讨IOR与Stroop干扰效应之间的关系来推测AAN和PAN之间的关系以及IOR与注意之间的关系。结果表明,在控制条件下出现了显著的IOR,在Stroop条件下没有出现明显的IOR;提示和非提示位置上均出现了显著的Stroop干扰效应,但提示位置上的干扰量要显著低于非提示位置。从IOR和Stroop干扰效应之间的关系可推知,PAN和AAN是两个有交互影响的注意网络,AAN对PAN有压制作用,而PAN对。AAN也有一定的影响。最后,作者对返回抑制与注意问的关系进行了深入的讨论。     

选择性注意加工机制上学困生和学优生的比较研究

本实验使用正、负启动技术 ,在严格控制各种条件下比较学困生和学优生在选择性注意加工机制———目标激活和分心物抑制方面的差异 ,进而探讨学困生在选择性注意加工机制上所存在的问题。结果显示 ,学困生和学优生的正启动量差异不显著 (p >0 .0 5 ) ,但学困生的负启动量显著小于学优生 (p <0 .0 0 1。这一结果说明 ,学困生在对目标反应期间易受分心物干扰 ,其抑制分心物干扰的能力较弱。同时启示我们应注重训练学困生抑制分心物干扰的能力