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The Scope and Control of Attention: A Computational Pupillary Modeling Approach

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posted on 2021-12-06, 00:00 authored by Daniel Schor

Working memory capacity (WMC) is thought to be made up of two, more primitive, underlying constructs; scope of attention (SA) and attention control (AC). SA refers to the individual variation in the storage capacity of working memory (WM) and is thought to be severely limited. In contrast, AC represents an individual’s ability to selectively focus on and maintain task-relevant information online when distractors are present. The difficulty of separating these constructs has prevented past research from adequately measuring them. Recent work by Schor, Brodersen, & Gibson (2020) has provided a method for separating these constructs within a single task – the whole report visual array. Their novel approach revealed individual differences in both constructs and proposed independence between them. The present study used this statistical model in combination with a computational modeling technique to show that the nature of SA is continuous and not discrete. Additionally, this study used both behavioral and pupillary data to provide support for a conceptualization of AC that appears to be more state-based, than trait-based as previously thought. Finally, a large-scale online study facilitated the comparison of the model’s Kmax (SA) and α (AC) parameters, confirming their independence. Taken together, these findings help further our understanding of WMC and the nature and relationship of its underlying constructs.

History

Date Modified

2021-12-21

Defense Date

2021-11-17

CIP Code

  • 42.2799

Research Director(s)

Bradley S. Gibson

Degree

  • Doctor of Philosophy

Degree Level

  • Doctoral Dissertation

Alternate Identifier

1289512322

Library Record

6156031

OCLC Number

1289512322

Program Name

  • Psychology, Research and Experimental

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