Processing time not modality dominates shift costs in the modality-shifting effect

Shifting attention between visual and auditory targets is associated with reaction time costs, known as the modality-shifting effect. The type of modality shifted from, e.g., auditory or visual is suggested to have an effect on the degree of cost. Studies report greater costs shifting from visual stimuli, yet notably used visual stimuli that are also identified slower than the auditory. It is not clear whether the cost is specific to modality effects, or with identification speed independent of modality. Here, to interpret whether the effects are due to modality or identification time, switch costs are instead compared with auditory stimuli that are identified slower than the visual (inverse of tested previously). A second condition used the same auditory stimuli at a low intensity, allowing comparison of semantically identical stimuli that are even slower to process. The current findings contradicted suggestions of a general difficulty in shifting from visual stimuli (as previously reported), and instead suggest that cost is reduced when targets are preceded by a more rapidly processed stimulus. 'Modality-Shifting' as it is often termed induces shifting costs, but the costs are not because of a change of modality per se, but because of a change in identification speed, where the degree of cost is dependent on the processing time of the surrounding stimuli.

Probe-caught spontaneous and deliberate mind wandering in relation to self-reported inattentive, hyperactive and impulsive traits in adults

Research has revealed a positive relationship between types of mind wandering and ADHD at clinical and subclinical levels. However, this work did not consider the relationship between mind wandering and the core symptoms of ADHD: inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity. Given that the DMS-V attributes mind wandering to inattention only, and that only inattention is thought to result from impairment to the executive function linked to mind wandering, the present research sought to examine this relationship in 80 undiagnosed adults. Using both standard and easy versions of the Sustained Attention to Response Task (SART) we measured both spontaneous and deliberate mind wandering. We found that spontaneous mind wandering was related to self-reported inattentive traits when the task was cognitively more challenging (standard SART). However, hyperactive and impulsive traits were related to spontaneous mind wandering independent of task difficulty. The results suggest inattentive traits are not uniquely related to mind wandering; indeed, adults with hyperactive/impulsive traits were more likely to experience mind wandering, suggesting that mind wandering might not be useful diagnostic criteria for inattention.

Hearing without listening: Attending to a quiet audiobook

Careful systematic tests of hearing ability may miss the cognitive consequences of sub-optimal hearing when listening in the real world. In Experiment 1, sub-optimal hearing is simulated by presenting an audiobook at a quiet but discriminable level over 50 min. Recall of facts, words and inferences are assessed and performance compared to another group at a comfortable listening volume. At the quiet intensity, participants are able to detect, discriminate and identify spoken words but do so at a cost to sequential accuracy and fact recall when attention must be sustained over time. To exclude other interpretations, the effects are studied in Experiment 2 by comparing recall to the same sentences presented in isolation. Here, the differences disappear. The results demonstrate that the cognitive consequences of listening at low volume arise when sustained attention is demanded over time.