Factorial equations for tests of attention

Tests designed to measure what was conceived to be attention were found by factor analysis to involve a factor which is independent of the factors of rote memory, visual-space, number, or perception. To a large extent, at least, this attention factor is independent of content and of mode of presentation of test material. The tests in which the variance is mainly dependent upon this factor are those involving a high degree of sustained or relatively continuous mental effort.An abstract of a thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology in the Graduate School of the University of Illinois, 1942.The writer wishes to express his gratitude to Professor Herbert Woodrow who suggested the present problem and under whose guidance the investigation was conducted. A further debt of gratitude is acknowledged to the enlisted men at the Air Corps Technical School at Chanute Field, Illinois, who served as subjects and to Capt. T. W. Harrell and Capt. Richard Faubion.