Sensory modality, temperament, and the development of sustained attention: A vigilance study in children and adults.

Abstract

Applying optimal stimulation theory, the present study explored the development of sustained attention as a dynamic process. It examined the interaction of modality and temperament over time in children and adults. Second-grade children and college-aged adults performed auditory and visual vigilance tasks. Using the Carey temperament questionnaires (S. C. McDevitt & W. B. Carey, 1995), the authors classified participants according to temperament composites of reactivity and task orientation. In a preliminary study, tasks were equated across age and modality using d' matching procedures. In the main experiment, 48 children and 48 adults performed these calibrated tasks. The auditory task proved more difficult for both children and adults. Intermodal relations changed with age: Performance across modality was significantly correlated for children but not for adults. Although temperament did not significantly predict performance in adults, it did for children. The temperament effects observed in children--specifically in those with the composite of reactivity--occurred in connection with the auditory task and in a manner consistent with theoretical predictions derived from optimal stimulation theory.

Using Dual Tasks to Test Immediate Transfer of Training Between Naturalistic Movements: A Proof-of-Principle Study

“…This study used an auditory task that required sustained listening attention, or “vigilance” (Aylward, Brager, & Harper, 2002; Borgaro et al, 2003; Curtindale, Laurie-Rose, Bennett-Murphy, & Hull, 2007; Erickson, Goldinger, & LaPointe, 1996; Seli, Cheyne, Barton, & Smilek, 2011). An auditory vigilance task was selected because of its ecological validity, as sustained auditory attention is often concurrent with real-world actions (Hubal, Reyes, & Newlin, 2009; Pang et al, 2005; Yantz, Johnson-Greene, Higginson, & Emmerson, 2010).…”

Differential susceptibility to fathers' care and involvement: The moderating effect of infant reactivity

“…It bears some relation to the approach of Kagan and Snidman (2004) in considering temperament as differences in the reactivity of underlying neural systems, and is related to the category of negative affectivity described by Rothbart and colleagues (Rothbart, Ahadi, Hershey, & Fisher, 2001). A scale to assess infant reactivity was created by calculating the average of the z-scores for the intensity and threshold scores, following the work of Curtindale et al (Curtindale, Laurie-Rose, Bennett-Murphy, & Hull, 2007). The alpha coefficient for the reactivity scale was 0.58, which is similar to that found in previous investigations with older children (Curtindale et al, 2007).…”

“…A scale to assess infant reactivity was created by calculating the average of the z-scores for the intensity and threshold scores, following the work of Curtindale et al (Curtindale, Laurie-Rose, Bennett-Murphy, & Hull, 2007). The alpha coefficient for the reactivity scale was 0.58, which is similar to that found in previous investigations with older children (Curtindale et al, 2007). …”

Associations of temperament traits and mathematics grades in adolescents are dependent on the rater but independent of motivation and cognitive ability

“…Although most temperament research has focused on children, temperament remains relevant also in adolescence and adulthood (Thomas & Chess, 1977). Learning and Individual Differences 22 (2012) Temperament traits predict attention (Curtindale, Laurie-Rose, Bennett-Murphy, & Hull, 2007), interests, motivation (Elliot & Thrash, 2002), cognitive strategies (Davis & Carr, 2002), and therefore also working styles (Kristal, 2005). Some studies have shown that associations of temperament and factors related to working styles are moderate or large in magnitude (Davis & Carr, 2002).…”