Pupil size as a measure of within‐task learning

Foroughi, Cyrus K.; Sibley, Ciara; Coyne, Joseph T.

doi:10.1111/psyp.12896

Cited by 43 publications

(40 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…In this experiment, we tried to verify if the manipulation of the automatic tasks transformed them into tasks closer to a controlled demand, also investigating the possibility of a continuum of mental effort (Bugg et al 2008;Bugg and Crump 2012;Diede and Bugg 2017;Jacoby et al 2003). The results of the present study can be interpreted as demonstrating that cognitive processing does not follow an explicit dual logic, with some manipulation making easy tasks more demanding, but still not enough for an intense mental effort allocation as discussed in previous studies (Diede and Bugg 2017;Foroughi et al 2017;Hommel 2007;Konishi et al 2015).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 52%

“…Mental effort is controlled by task demands, as more difficult tasks tend to require higher mental effort. Arousal caused by effort is modulated according to the accomplishment of the task, that is, cognitive feedback allows modulation of mental effort during tasks (Foroughi et al 2017;Leppink & Pérez-Fuster, 2019;Sweller 1988;Yeo and Neal 2008). Tasks are assumed to require a fixed amount of cognitive resources to their realization, being these resources dependent of the cognitive load required by the difficulty of the task and by potential extra load related to distractions and poorly designed instructions.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These indicate that ME in healthy subjects is not caused by an alteration of task engagement but is likely to be the consequence of a decrease in efficiency, or availability, of cognitive resources (Gergelyfi et al 2015). Measuring pupil dilation can demonstrate when individuals have finally learned new tasks (Foroughi et al 2017), studies on how tasks of different cognitive demands influence popular dilation are common, but little is studied on how task repetition and small manipulations can present themselves in pupil dilation. Also little is addressed how this dynamic is influenced by the duration and small manipulations in the tasks performed.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Cognitive Processing dissociation by mental effort manipulation in long demanding tasks

Alves¹,

Tassini²,

Aedo-Jury

et al. 2020

Preprint

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Individuals uses cognitive resources to modulate performance in demanding tasks and a non-invasive and reliable way of measuring mental effort is pupillometry. This study aimed to test the mental effort related to different processing systems in long tasks with controlled and automatic demands. We conducted two experiments with healthy subjects: in Experiment 1 (n=15), using a metronome to ensure control on task pace, participants performed a serial number generation task (Counting; little to no effort tasks), a random number generation (RNG; effortful tasks), and no task (Unfilled interval; no effort at all). In experiment 2, (n=15) participants performed counting tasks with or without additional intermediary beeps produced by a metronome to assess the effect of a possible increase in effort demanded by the distractors.Experiment 1 showed differences between unfilled interval, counting and RNG. Experiment 2 showed that the intermediate beep made the counting tasks more demanding than the normal counting tasks.Notable in both experiments was the tendency of participants to demand mental effort at the beginning of the trial. These results indicate that previously effortless automatic tasks can become controlled, or at least more demanding, with a simple experimental manipulation. They also reveal that tasks that require mental effort over a long period will demand more than automatic ones, but even so the peak of this demand is in the initial trial period. Moreover, they reveal the high sensitivity of pupillometry for the measurement of mental effort employing different processing systems and cognitive resource modulation.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 52%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Cognitive Processing dissociation by mental effort manipulation in long demanding tasks

Alves¹,

Tassini²,

Aedo-Jury

et al. 2020

Preprint

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“…Cognitive and emotional processes evoke pupillary dilation in both humans and non-human primates, reflecting vigilance, arousal and attention (Laeng, Sirois & Gredebäck, 2012; Schneider M. et al, 2016; Becket Ebitz & Moore, 2017; McGarrigle et al, 2017; Foroughi, Sibley & Coyne, 2017). Hence, pupillary diameters may serve as an index of brain activity and mental efforts (or lack hereof).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Automated pupillometry to detect command following in neurological patients: A proof-of-concept study

Vassilieva

Olsen

Peinkhofer

et al. 2019

Preprint

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Background: Levels of consciousness in patients with acute and chronic brain injury are notoriously underestimated. Paradigms based on electroencephalography (EEG) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) may detect covert consciousness in unresponsive patients but are subject to logistical challenges and the need for advanced statistical analysis. Methods: To assess the feasibility of automated pupillometry for the detection of command following, we enrolled 20 healthy volunteers and 48 patients with a wide range of neurological disorders, including 7 patients in the intensive care unit (ICU), who were asked to engage in mental arithmetic. Results: Fourteen of 20 (70%) healthy volunteers and 17 of 43 (39.5%) neurological patients, including 1 in the ICU, fulfilled prespecified criteria for command following by showing pupillary dilations during ≥ 4 of 5 arithmetic tasks. None of the 5 sedated and unconscious ICU patients passed this threshold. Conclusions: Automated pupillometry combined with mental arithmetic appears to be a promising paradigm for the detection of covert consciousness in people with brain injury. We plan to build on this study by focusing on non-communicating ICU patients in whom the level of consciousness is unknown. If some of these patients show reproducible pupillary dilation during mental arithmetic, this would suggest that the present paradigm can reveal conscious awareness in unresponsive patients in whom standard investigations have failed to detect signs of covert consciousness.

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“…Measuring the effectiveness of learning may also be monitored through pupillary dilatation. Learning processes such as Pavlovian, associative learning or categorization are characterized by large pupils initially, when the cognitive load is big, and by smaller diameters when the task or item is being learned 50,[87][88][89][90][91] . Pupils also dilate in response to mental arithmetic 2, 92-98 , decisionmaking and visual backward masking tasks [99][100][101][102][103][104][105][106][107][108][109] and they can reveal the degree of certainty during any selection process, i.e.…”

Section: Pico 2: Pupillary Changes Associated With Cognitive and Emotmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Supplemental Information 1: S1 Protocol and Appendix

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Background. The pupillary light reflex is the main mechanism that regulates the pupillary diameter; it is controlled by the autonomic system and mediated by subcortical pathways. In addition, cognitive and emotional processes influence pupillary function due to input from cortical innervation, but the exact circuits remain poorly understood. We performed a systematic review to evaluate the mechanisms behind pupillary changes associated with cognitive efforts and processing of emotions and to investigate the cerebral areas involved in cortical modulation of the pupillary light reflex. Methodology. We searched multiple databases until November 2018 for studies on cortical modulation of pupillary function in humans and non-human primates. Of 8808 papers screened, 252 studies were included. Results. Most investigators focused on pupillary dilatation as an index of cognitive and emotional processing, evaluating how changes in pupillary diameter reflect levels of attention and arousal. Only few tried to correlate specific cerebral areas to pupillary changes, using either cortical activation models (employing micro-stimulation of cortical structures in non-human primates) or cortical lesion models (e.g. investigating patients with stroke and damage to salient cortical and/or subcortical areas). Results suggest involvement of several cortical regions, including the insular cortex, the frontal eye field and the prefrontal cortex, and of subcortical structures such as the locus coeruleus and the superior colliculus. Conclusions. Pupillary dilatation occurs with many kinds of mental or emotional processes, following sympathetic activation or parasympathetic inhibition. This phenomenon is controlled by several subcortical and cortical structures that are directly or indirectly connected to the brainstem pupillary innervation system.

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Pupil size as a measure of within‐task learning

Cited by 43 publications

References 33 publications

Cognitive Processing dissociation by mental effort manipulation in long demanding tasks

Cognitive Processing dissociation by mental effort manipulation in long demanding tasks

Automated pupillometry to detect command following in neurological patients: A proof-of-concept study

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