1
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Verschooren S, Egner T. When the mind's eye prevails: The Internal Dominance over External Attention (IDEA) hypothesis. Psychon Bull Rev 2023; 30:1668-1688. [PMID: 36988893 DOI: 10.3758/s13423-023-02272-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023]
Abstract
Throughout the 20th century, the psychological literature has considered attention as being primarily directed at the outside world. More recent theories conceive attention as also operating on internal information, and mounting evidence suggests a single, shared attentional focus between external and internal information. Such sharing implies a cognitive architecture where attention needs to be continuously shifted between prioritizing either external or internal information, but the fundamental principles underlying this attentional balancing act are currently unknown. Here, we propose and evaluate one such principle in the shape of the Internal Dominance over External Attention (IDEA) hypothesis: Contrary to the traditional view of attention as being primarily externally oriented, IDEA asserts that attention is inherently biased toward internal information. We provide a theoretical account for why such an internal attention bias may have evolved and examine findings from a wide range of literatures speaking to the balancing of external versus internal attention, including research on working memory, attention switching, visual search, mind wandering, sustained attention, and meditation. We argue that major findings in these disparate research lines can be coherently understood under IDEA. Finally, we consider tentative neurocognitive mechanisms contributing to IDEA and examine the practical implications of more deliberate control over this bias in the context of psychopathology. It is hoped that this novel hypothesis motivates cross-talk between the reviewed research lines and future empirical studies directly examining the mechanisms that steer attention either inward or outward on a moment-by-moment basis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sam Verschooren
- Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA.
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
| | - Tobias Egner
- Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
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2
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Schwalbe M, Satz S, Miceli R, Hu H, Manelis A. Hand Dexterity Is Associated with the Ability to Resolve Perceptual and Cognitive Interference in Older Adults: Pilot Study. Geriatrics (Basel) 2023; 8:31. [PMID: 36960986 PMCID: PMC10037645 DOI: 10.3390/geriatrics8020031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Revised: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The relationship between hand dexterity and inhibitory control across the lifespan is underexplored. In this pilot study, we examined inhibitory control using a modified Simon task. During the task, participants were presented with right- and left-pointing arrows located either on the right or the left parts of the screen. In the congruent trials, the arrow location and direction matched. In the incongruent trials, they mismatched, thus creating cognitive interference. In 50% of trials, the arrow presentation was accompanied by a task-irrelevant but environmentally meaningful sound that created perceptual interference. Hand dexterity was measured with the 9-hole peg test. Significantly faster reaction time (RT) on the modified Simon task (p < 0.001) was observed in younger adults, trials with concurrent sound stimuli, and congruent trials. Older adults who reported recent falls had greater difficulty resolving cognitive interference than older adults without recent falls. Hand dexterity significantly moderated the effect of sound on RT, but only in the group of older individuals. Interestingly, older individuals with reduced hand dexterity benefited from concurrent sounds more than those with better hand dexterity. Our findings suggest that task-irrelevant but environmentally meaningful sounds may increase alertness and enhance stimulus perception and recognition, thus improving motor performance in older individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Schwalbe
- School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
| | - Skye Satz
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Rachel Miceli
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Hang Hu
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Anna Manelis
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
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3
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An fNIRS Study of Applicability of the Unity-Diversity Model of Executive Functions in Preschoolers. Brain Sci 2022; 12:brainsci12121722. [PMID: 36552181 PMCID: PMC9776044 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12121722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Revised: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Executive function (EF) includes a set of higher-order abilities that control one's actions and thoughts consciously and has a protracted developmental trajectory that parallels the maturation of the frontal lobes, which develop speedily over the preschool period. To fully understand the development of EF in preschoolers, this study examined the relationship among the three domains of executive function (cognitive shifting, inhibitory control, and working memory) to test the applicability of the unity-diversity model in preschoolers using both behavioral and fNIRS approaches. Altogether, 58 Chinese preschoolers (34 boys, 24 girls, Mage = 5.86 years, SD = 0.53, age range = 4.83-6.67 years) were administered the Dimensional Card Change Sort (DCCS), go/no-go, and missing scan task. Their brain activations in the prefrontal cortex during the tasks were examined using fNIRS. First, the behavioral results indicated that the missing scan task scores (working memory) correlated with the DCCS (cognitive shifting) and go/no-go tasks (inhibitory control). However, the latter two did not correlate with each other. Second, the fNIRS results demonstrated that the prefrontal activations during the working memory task correlated with those in the same regions during the cognitive shifting and inhibitory control tasks. However, the latter two still did not correlate. The behavioral and neuroimaging evidence jointly indicates that the unity-diversity model of EF does apply to Chinese preschoolers.
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4
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Pascoe AJ, Haque ZZ, Samandra R, Fehring DJ, Mansouri FA. Dissociable effects of music and white noise on conflict-induced behavioral adjustments. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:858576. [PMID: 36061589 PMCID: PMC9429995 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.858576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Auditory stimuli, encompassing a continually expanding collection of musical genres and sonic hues, present a safe and easily administrable therapeutic option for alleviating cognitive deficits associated with neuropsychological disorders, but their effects on executive control are yet to be completely understood. To better understand how the processing of certain acoustic properties can influence conflict processing, we had a large of cohort of undergraduate students complete the Stroop colour and word test in three different background conditions: classical music, white noise, and silence. Because of pandemic guidelines and the necessity to run the experiment remotely, participants also completed the Wisconsin card sorting test (WCST), so that the reliability and consistency of acquired data could be assessed. We found that white noise, but not classical music increased the response time difference between congruent (low conflict) and incongruent (high conflict) trials (conflict cost), hence impairing performance. Results from the WCST indicated that home-based data collection was reliable, replicating a performance bias reported in our previous laboratory-based experiments. Both the auditory stimuli were played at a similar intensity, thus their dissociable effects may have resulted from differing emotional responses within participants, where white noise, but not music elicited a negative response. Integrated with previous literature, our findings indicate that outside of changes in tempo and valence, classical music does not affect cognitive functions associated with conflict processing, whilst white noise impairs these functions in a manner similar to other stressors, and hence requires further research before its implementation into neuropsychiatric care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander J. Pascoe
- Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Physiology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Zakia Z. Haque
- Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Physiology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Ranshikha Samandra
- Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Physiology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Daniel J. Fehring
- Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Physiology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Integrative Brain Function, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Farshad A. Mansouri
- Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Physiology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Integrative Brain Function, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
- *Correspondence: Farshad A. Mansouri,
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5
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Tsutsuse KS, Vibell J, Sinnett S. EXPRESS: Multisensory Perception of Natural Versus Unnatural Motion. Q J Exp Psychol (Hove) 2022; 76:1233-1244. [PMID: 35658653 DOI: 10.1177/17470218221108251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Previous research has shown that visual perception is influenced by Newtonian constraints. Kominsky et al. (2017) showed humans detect unnatural motion, where objects break Newtonian constraints by moving at a faster speed after colliding with another object, faster than collisions that do not violate Newtonian constraints. These findings show that the perceptual system distinguishes between realistic and unrealistic causal events. However, real world collisions are rarely silent. The present study extends this research by including sound at the collision point between two objects to evaluate how multisensory integration influences the perception of natural versus unnatural colliding events. Participants viewed an array of three simultaneous videos, each depicting two objects moving in a horizontal back and forth motion. Two of the videos showed the objects moving at the same speed while the third video was an oddball that either moved faster before the collision and slower after (natural target), or slower before the collision and faster after (unnatural target). A brief click was presented at the collision point of one or none of the videos. Participants were asked to indicate the oddball video via keypress. Replicating Kominsky et al. (2017), participants were faster when identifying unnatural target motion events compared to natural target motion events, both with and without sound. The findings also demonstrated lower accuracy rates for unnatural events compared to natural events, especially when a sound was added. These findings suggest that the addition of a sound could be distracting to participants, possibly due to limitations in attentional resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kayla Soma Tsutsuse
- Department of Psychology, University of Hawaii at Manoa 2530 Dole Street Sakamaki D412, Honolulu, HI, 96822 3949
| | - Jonas Vibell
- Department of Psychology, University of Hawaii at Manoa 2530 Dole Street Sakamaki D412, Honolulu, HI, 96822 3949
| | - Scott Sinnett
- Department of Psychology, University of Hawaii at Manoa 2530 Dole Street Sakamaki D412, Honolulu, HI, 96822 3949
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6
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Bell R, Mieth L, Röer JP, Buchner A. Effects of Auditory Distraction on Face Memory. Sci Rep 2019; 9:10185. [PMID: 31308413 PMCID: PMC6629691 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-46641-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2018] [Accepted: 06/20/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Effects of auditory distraction by task-irrelevant background speech on the immediate serial recall of verbal material are well established. Less is known about the influence of background speech on memory for visual configural information. A recent study demonstrated that face learning is disrupted by joyful music relative to soothing violin music and quiet. This pattern is parallel to findings in the serial-recall paradigm showing that auditory distraction is primarily caused by auditory changes. Here we connect these two streams of research by testing whether face learning is impaired by irrelevant speech. Participants learned faces either in quiet or while ignoring auditory changing-state sequences (sentential speech) or steady-state sequences (word repetitions). Face recognition was impaired by irrelevant speech relative to quiet. Furthermore, changing-state speech disrupted performance more than steady-state speech. The results were replicated in a second study using reversed speech, suggesting that the disruptive potential of the background speech does not depend on its semantic content. These findings thus demonstrate robust effects of auditory distraction on face learning. Theoretical explanations and applied implications are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raoul Bell
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.
| | - Laura Mieth
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Jan Philipp Röer
- Department of Psychology and Psychotherapy, Witten/Herdecke University, Witten, Germany
| | - Axel Buchner
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
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7
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Li LMW, Luo S, Ma J, Lin Y, Fan L, Zhong S, Yang J, Huang Y, Gu L, Fan L, Dai Z, Wu X. Functional connectivity pattern underlies individual differences in independent self-construal. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2018; 13:269-280. [PMID: 29385622 PMCID: PMC5836281 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsy008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2017] [Accepted: 01/23/2018] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Independent vs interdependent self-construal is a concept that reflects how people perceive the relationship between self and other people, which has been extensively examined across disciplines. However, little evidence on the whole-brain functional connectivity (FC) pattern of independent vs interdependent self-construal has been reported. Here, in a sample of 51 healthy participants, we used resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging and voxel-based FC analysis (i.e. FC strength and seed-based FC) by measuring the temporal correlation of blood oxygen level-dependent signals between spatially separate brain regions to investigate the neural mechanism of independent vs interdependent self-construal. First, we found that FC strength of bilateral posterior cingulate cortex and precuneus, and left inferior frontal gyrus were positively correlated with the independent vs interdependent score. Seed-based FC analysis with these three regions as seeds revealed that, FC within default mode network and executive control network was positively correlated with the independent vs interdependent score. Negative correlation with independent vs interdependent score was shown in the connections between default mode network and executive control regions. Taking together, our results provide a comprehensive FC architecture of the independent vs interdependent self-construal and advance the understanding of the interplay between culture, mind and brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liman Man Wai Li
- Department of Psychology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China.,Department of Psychology, The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Siyang Luo
- Department of Psychology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China.,Guangdong Key Laboratory of Social Cognitive Neuroscience and Mental Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Junji Ma
- Department of Psychology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China.,Guangdong Key Laboratory of Social Cognitive Neuroscience and Mental Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Ying Lin
- Department of Psychology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China.,Guangdong Key Laboratory of Social Cognitive Neuroscience and Mental Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Linlin Fan
- Department of Psychology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China.,Guangdong Key Laboratory of Social Cognitive Neuroscience and Mental Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Shengqi Zhong
- Department of Psychology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China.,Guangdong Key Laboratory of Social Cognitive Neuroscience and Mental Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Junkai Yang
- Department of Psychology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China.,Guangdong Key Laboratory of Social Cognitive Neuroscience and Mental Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Yingyu Huang
- Department of Psychology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China.,Guangdong Key Laboratory of Social Cognitive Neuroscience and Mental Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Li Gu
- Department of Psychology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China.,Guangdong Key Laboratory of Social Cognitive Neuroscience and Mental Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Leyi Fan
- Department of Psychology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China.,Guangdong Key Laboratory of Social Cognitive Neuroscience and Mental Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Zhengjia Dai
- Department of Psychology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China.,Guangdong Key Laboratory of Social Cognitive Neuroscience and Mental Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Xiang Wu
- Department of Psychology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China.,Guangdong Key Laboratory of Social Cognitive Neuroscience and Mental Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China.,Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
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8
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Differential Impact of Interference on Internally- and Externally-Directed Attention. Sci Rep 2018; 8:2498. [PMID: 29410407 PMCID: PMC5802789 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-20498-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2017] [Accepted: 01/18/2018] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Attention can be oriented externally to the environment or internally to the mind, and can be derailed by interference from irrelevant information originating from either external or internal sources. However, few studies have explored the nature and underlying mechanisms of the interaction between different attentional orientations and different sources of interference. We investigated how externally- and internally-directed attention was impacted by external distraction, how this modulated internal distraction, and whether these interactions were affected by healthy aging. Healthy younger and older adults performed both an externally-oriented visual detection task and an internally-oriented mental rotation task, performed with and without auditory sound delivered through headphones. We found that the addition of auditory sound induced a significant decrease in task performance in both younger and older adults on the visual discrimination task, and this was accompanied by a shift in the type of distractions reported (from internal to external). On the internally-oriented task, auditory sound only affected performance in older adults. These results suggest that the impact of external distractions differentially impacts performance on tasks with internal, as opposed to external, attentional orientations. Further, internal distractibility is affected by the presence of external sound and increased suppression of internal distraction.
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9
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Radel R, Fournier M. The influence of external stimulation in missing knowledge retrieval. Memory 2017; 25:1217-1224. [PMID: 28276979 DOI: 10.1080/09658211.2017.1282519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
We investigated the effects of sensory reduction on the retrieval of information during tip-of-the-tongue (TOT) experiences. As conscious access results from severe competition in which external stimuli often have priority, we hypothesised that reducing external stimulation would allow individuals greater access to weakly activated inner knowledge. In Study 1, when participants experienced a TOT while answering a general knowledge question, they were given additional time to find the solution in a restricted (eyes closed + silence) or a non-restricted (eyes open + ambient noise) external stimulation environment. Results indicated that knowledge was more often retrieved when external stimulation was restricted than when not restricted. This result was replicated in a second study. Using an independent manipulation of the level of auditory and visual stimulation, Study 2 also indicated that the presence of visual stimulation was more disruptive for TOT resolution than the presence of auditory stimulation. Overall, the findings suggest that sensory restriction (especially of visual stimuli) facilitates the retrieval of weakly accessible knowledge through a greater processing of inner stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rémi Radel
- a LAMHESS, Université Côte d'Azur , Nice , France
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10
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Executive function in the first three years of life: Precursors, predictors and patterns. DEVELOPMENTAL REVIEW 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.dr.2016.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
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11
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Cassarino M, Setti A. Complexity As Key to Designing Cognitive-Friendly Environments for Older People. Front Psychol 2016; 7:1329. [PMID: 27625629 PMCID: PMC5003839 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2016] [Accepted: 08/19/2016] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The lived environment is the arena where our cognitive skills, preferences, and attitudes come together to determine our ability to interact with the world. The mechanisms through which lived environments can benefit cognitive health in older age are yet to be fully understood. The existing literature suggests that environments which are perceived as stimulating, usable and aesthetically appealing can improve or facilitate cognitive performance both in young and older age. Importantly, optimal stimulation for cognition seems to depend on experiencing sufficiently stimulating environments while not too challenging. Environmental complexity is an important contributor to determining whether an environment provides such an optimal stimulation. The present paper reviews a selection of studies which have explored complexity in relation to perceptual load, environmental preference and perceived usability to propose a framework which explores direct and indirect environmental influences on cognition, and to understand these influences in relation to aging processes. We identify ways to define complexity at different environmental scales, going from micro low-level perceptual features of scenes, to design qualities of proximal environments (e.g., streets, neighborhoods), to broad geographical areas (i.e., natural vs. urban environments). We propose that studying complexity at these different scales will provide new insight into the design of cognitive-friendly environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marica Cassarino
- School of Applied Psychology, University College CorkCork, Ireland
| | - Annalisa Setti
- School of Applied Psychology, University College CorkCork, Ireland
- The Irish Longitudinal Study on Aging, Trinity College Dublin, The University of DublinDublin, Ireland
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12
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Solesio-Jofre E, López-Frutos JM, Cashdollar N, Aurtenetxe S, de Ramón I, Maestú F. The effects of aging on the working memory processes of multimodal information. AGING NEUROPSYCHOLOGY AND COGNITION 2016; 24:299-320. [PMID: 27405057 DOI: 10.1080/13825585.2016.1207749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Normal aging is associated with deficits in working memory processes. However, the majority of research has focused on storage or inhibitory processes using unimodal paradigms, without addressing their relationships using different sensory modalities. Hence, we pursued two objectives. First, was to examine the effects of aging on storage and inhibitory processes. Second, was to evaluate aging effects on multisensory integration of visual and auditory stimuli. To this end, young and older participants performed a multimodal task for visual and auditory pairs of stimuli with increasing memory load at encoding and interference during retention. Our results showed an age-related increased vulnerability to interrupting and distracting interference reflecting inhibitory deficits related to the off-line reactivation and on-line suppression of relevant and irrelevant information, respectively. Storage capacity was impaired with increasing task demands in both age groups. Additionally, older adults showed a deficit in multisensory integration, with poorer performance for new visual compared to new auditory information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Solesio-Jofre
- a Department of Basic Psychology , University Autónoma of Madrid , Madrid , Spain
| | | | - Nathan Cashdollar
- b Centro Interdipartimentale Mente/Cervello (CIMeC) - Università degli Studi di Trento , Trento , Italy
| | - Sara Aurtenetxe
- c Laboratory for Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience. Centre for Biomedical Technology , Madrid University of Technology/Complutense University of Madrid , Madrid , Spain
| | - Ignacio de Ramón
- c Laboratory for Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience. Centre for Biomedical Technology , Madrid University of Technology/Complutense University of Madrid , Madrid , Spain
| | - Fernando Maestú
- c Laboratory for Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience. Centre for Biomedical Technology , Madrid University of Technology/Complutense University of Madrid , Madrid , Spain.,d Department of Basic Psychology II (Cognitive Processes) , Complutense University of Madrid , Madrid , Spain
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13
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Cassarino M, Setti A. Environment as 'Brain Training': A review of geographical and physical environmental influences on cognitive ageing. Ageing Res Rev 2015; 23:167-82. [PMID: 26144974 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2015.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2015] [Revised: 06/19/2015] [Accepted: 06/29/2015] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Global ageing demographics coupled with increased urbanisation pose major challenges to the provision of optimal living environments for older persons, particularly in relation to cognitive health. Although animal studies emphasize the benefits of enriched environments for cognition, and brain training interventions have shown that maintaining or improving cognitive vitality in older age is possible, our knowledge of the characteristics of our physical environment which are protective for cognitive ageing is lacking. The present review analyses different environmental characteristics (e.g. urban vs. rural settings, presence of green) in relation to cognitive performance in ageing. Studies of direct and indirect associations between physical environment and cognitive performance are reviewed in order to describe the evidence that our living contexts constitute a measurable factor in determining cognitive ageing.
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14
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Koenig L, Wimmer MC, Hollins TJ. Process dissociation of familiarity and recollection in children: response deadline affects recollection but not familiarity. J Exp Child Psychol 2014; 131:120-34. [PMID: 25544395 DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2014.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2014] [Revised: 10/22/2014] [Accepted: 11/15/2014] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
According to dual-process theories, recollection (slow and associated with contextual details) and familiarity (fast and automatic) are two independent processes underlying recognition memory. An adapted version of the process dissociation paradigm was used to measure recognition memory in 5-, 7-, and 11-year-olds and adults. In Experiment 1, it was found that 5-year-olds already recollect details of items (i.e., number). Recollection increased particularly between 5 and 7 years. Familiarity differed between 5 years and adulthood. In Experiment 2, under limited response time during retrieval, recollection was eliminated in 5-year-olds and reduced across all ages, whereas familiarity was left unaffected. Together, these findings are consistent with dual-process theories of recognition memory and provide support for two processes underlying recognition memory from a developmental perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Koenig
- School of Psychology, Cognition Institute, Plymouth University, Plymouth PL4 8AA, UK.
| | - Marina C Wimmer
- School of Psychology, Cognition Institute, Plymouth University, Plymouth PL4 8AA, UK
| | - Timothy J Hollins
- School of Psychology, Cognition Institute, Plymouth University, Plymouth PL4 8AA, UK
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15
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Grayson B, Adamson L, Harte M, Leger M, Marsh S, Piercy C, Neill JC. The involvement of distraction in memory deficits induced by NMDAR antagonism: Relevance to cognitive deficits in schizophrenia. Behav Brain Res 2014; 266:188-92. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2014.03.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2014] [Revised: 03/04/2014] [Accepted: 03/06/2014] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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16
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Beaman CP, Hanczakowski M, Jones DM. The effects of distraction on metacognition and metacognition on distraction: evidence from recognition memory. Front Psychol 2014; 5:439. [PMID: 24860543 PMCID: PMC4030143 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2013] [Accepted: 04/25/2014] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The effects of auditory distraction in memory tasks have, to date, been examined with procedures that minimize participants' control over their own memory processes. Surprisingly little attention has been paid to metacognitive control factors which might affect memory performance. In this study, we investigate the effects of auditory distraction on metacognitive control of memory, examining the effects of auditory distraction in recognition tasks utilizing the metacognitive framework of Koriat and Goldsmith (1996), to determine whether strategic regulation of memory accuracy is impacted by auditory distraction. Results replicated previous findings in showing that auditory distraction impairs memory performance in tasks minimizing participants' metacognitive control (forced-report test). However, the results revealed also that when metacognitive control is allowed (free-report tests), auditory distraction impacts upon a range of metacognitive indices. In the present study, auditory distraction undermined accuracy of metacognitive monitoring (resolution), reduced confidence in responses provided and, correspondingly, increased participants' propensity to withhold responses in free-report recognition. Crucially, changes in metacognitive processes were related to impairment in free-report recognition performance, as the use of the "don't know" option under distraction led to a reduction in the number of correct responses volunteered in free-report tests. Overall, the present results show how auditory distraction exerts its influence on memory performance via both memory and metamemory processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- C. Philip Beaman
- Centre for Cognition Research, School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences, University of ReadingReading, UK
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Rae PJL, Perfect TJ. Visual distraction during word-list retrieval does not consistently disrupt memory. Front Psychol 2014; 5:362. [PMID: 24795688 PMCID: PMC4005940 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2014] [Accepted: 04/06/2014] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Glenberg et al. (1998) reported that episodic memory is impaired by visual distraction and argued that this effect is consistent with a trade-off between internal and external attentional focus. However, their demonstration that visual distraction impairs memory for lists used 15 consecutive word-lists, with analysis only of mid-list items, and has never been replicated. Experiment 1 (N = 37) replicated their methodology and found the same pattern of impairment for mid-list recall, but found no evidence of impairment for other items on the lists. Experiment 2 (N = 64) explored whether this pattern arises because the mid-list items are poorly encoded (by manipulating presentation rate) or because of interference. Experiment 3 (N = 36) also looked at the role of interference whilst controlling for potential item effects. Neither study replicated the pattern seen in Experiment 1, despite reliable effects of presentation rate (Experiment 2) and interference (Experiments 2 and 3). Experiment 2 found no effect of distraction for mid-list items, but distraction did increase both correct and incorrect recall of all items suggestive of a shift in willingness to report. Experiment 3 found no effects of distraction whatsoever. Thus, there is no clear evidence that distraction consistently impairs retrieval of items from lists and therefore no consistent evidence to support the embodied cognition account used to explain the original finding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pamela J L Rae
- School of Psychology, University of Plymouth Plymouth, UK
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18
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Wais PE, Gazzaley A. Distractibility during retrieval of long-term memory: domain-general interference, neural networks and increased susceptibility in normal aging. Front Psychol 2014; 5:280. [PMID: 24778623 PMCID: PMC3985013 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2013] [Accepted: 03/17/2014] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The mere presence of irrelevant external stimuli results in interference with the fidelity of details retrieved from long-term memory (LTM). Recent studies suggest that distractibility during LTM retrieval occurs when the focus of resource-limited, top-down mechanisms that guide the selection of relevant mnemonic details is disrupted by representations of external distractors. We review findings from four studies that reveal distractibility during episodic retrieval. The approach cued participants to recall previously studied visual details when their eyes were closed, or were open and irrelevant visual information was present. The results showed a negative impact of the distractors on the fidelity of details retrieved from LTM. An fMRI experiment using the same paradigm replicated the behavioral results and found that diminished episodic memory was associated with the disruption of functional connectivity in whole-brain networks. Specifically, network connectivity supported recollection of details based on visual imagery when eyes were closed, but connectivity declined in the presence of visual distractors. Another experiment using auditory distractors found equivalent effects for auditory and visual distraction during cued recall, suggesting that the negative impact of distractibility is a domain-general phenomenon in LTM. Comparisons between older and younger adults revealed an aging-related increase in the negative impact of distractibility on retrieval of LTM. Finally, a new study that compared categorization abilities between younger and older adults suggests a cause underlying age-related decline of visual details in LTM. The sum of our findings suggests that cognitive control resources, although limited, have the capability to resolve interference from distractors during tasks of moderate effort, but these resources are overwhelmed when additional processes associated with episodic retrieval, or categorization of complex prototypes, are required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter E Wais
- Departments of Neurology, Physiology and Psychiatry, Center for Integrative Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Adam Gazzaley
- Departments of Neurology, Physiology and Psychiatry, Center for Integrative Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco San Francisco, CA, USA
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19
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Blumenfeld RS, Lee TG, D'Esposito M. The effects of lateral prefrontal transcranial magnetic stimulation on item memory encoding. Neuropsychologia 2013; 53:197-202. [PMID: 24316198 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2013.11.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2013] [Revised: 11/22/2013] [Accepted: 11/25/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Previous neuroimaging research has established that the left ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (VLPFC) is involved in long-term memory (LTM) encoding for individual items. Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) is implicated less frequently, and one theory that has gained support to explain this discrepancy is that DLPFC is involved in forming item-item relational but not item LTM. Given that neuroimaging results are correlational, complimentary methods such as repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) have been used to test causal hypotheses generated from imaging data. Most TMS studies of LTM encoding have found that disruption of lateral PFC activity impairs subsequent memory. However these studies have lacked methods to precisely localize and directly compare TMS effects from frontal subregions implicated by the neuroimaging literature. Here, we target specific subregions of lateral PFC with TMS to test the prediction from the item/relational framework that temporary disruption of VLPFC during encoding will impair subsequent memory whereas TMS to DLPFC during item encoding will not. Frontal TMS was administered prior to a LTM encoding task in which participants were presented with a list of individual nouns and asked to judge whether each noun was concrete or abstract. After a 40 min delay period, item recognition memory was tested. Results indicate that VLPFC and DLPFC TMS have differential effects on subsequent item memory. VLPFC TMS reliably disrupted subsequent item memory whereas DLPFC TMS led to numerical enhancement in item memory, relative to TMS to a control region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert S Blumenfeld
- Department of Neurology, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, United States.
| | - Taraz G Lee
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, United States
| | - Mark D'Esposito
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute and Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, United States; Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, United States
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Mishra J, Anguera JA, Ziegler DA, Gazzaley A. A cognitive framework for understanding and improving interference resolution in the brain. PROGRESS IN BRAIN RESEARCH 2013; 207:351-77. [PMID: 24309262 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-444-63327-9.00013-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
All of us are familiar with the negative impact of interference on achieving our task goals. We are referring to interference by information, which either impinges on our senses from an external environmental source or is internally generated by our thoughts. Informed by more than a decade of research on the cognitive and neural processing of interference, we have developed a framework for understanding how interference impacts our neural systems and especially how it is regulated and suppressed during efficient on-task performance. Importantly, externally and internally generated interferences have distinct neural signatures, and further, distinct neural processing emerges depending on whether individuals must ignore and suppress the interference, as for distractions, or engage with them in a secondary task, as during multitasking. Here, we elaborate on this cognitive framework and how it changes throughout the human lifespan, focusing mostly on research evidence from younger adults and comparing these findings to data from older adults, children, and cognitively impaired populations. With insights gleaned from our growing understanding, we then describe three novel translational efforts in our lab directed at improving distinct aspects of interference resolution using cognitive training. Critically, these training approaches were specifically developed to target improved interference resolution based on neuroplasticity principles and have shown much success in randomized controlled first version evaluations in healthy aging. Our results show not only on-task training improvements but also robust generalization of benefit to other cognitive control abilities. This research showcases how an in-depth understanding of neural mechanisms can then inform the development of effective deficit-targeted interventions, which can in turn benefit both healthy and cognitively impaired populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jyoti Mishra
- Departments of Neurology, Physiology and Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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21
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Abstract
Executive functions (EFs) make possible mentally playing with ideas; taking the time to think before acting; meeting novel, unanticipated challenges; resisting temptations; and staying focused. Core EFs are inhibition [response inhibition (self-control--resisting temptations and resisting acting impulsively) and interference control (selective attention and cognitive inhibition)], working memory, and cognitive flexibility (including creatively thinking "outside the box," seeing anything from different perspectives, and quickly and flexibly adapting to changed circumstances). The developmental progression and representative measures of each are discussed. Controversies are addressed (e.g., the relation between EFs and fluid intelligence, self-regulation, executive attention, and effortful control, and the relation between working memory and inhibition and attention). The importance of social, emotional, and physical health for cognitive health is discussed because stress, lack of sleep, loneliness, or lack of exercise each impair EFs. That EFs are trainable and can be improved with practice is addressed, including diverse methods tried thus far.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adele Diamond
- Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia and BC Children's Hospital, Vancouver, BC V6T 2A1, Canada.
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