Attention Research Project

The ability to remain focused on goal-relevant stimuli and information in the presence of potentially interfering distracters is crucial for any coherent cognitive function. However, simply instructing people to ignore goal-irrelevant stimuli is not sufficient for preventing their processing. The capacity of an individual to be able to choose what to pay attention to and what to ignore, plays an integral part in events related to performance in school, studies, work and extra-mural activities.

In order to measure current (and improved) ability to concentrate and focus (i.e. attentional control), the GAME is employed. This is a computerised test and consists out of a symbol appearing at a random time, either shaded or outlined. The testee is required to respond to the symbol appearing by either ignoring it (when outlined) or pressing spacebar (when shaded). Throughout the test distractions are also implemented in order to determine whether the testee are affected by visual and auditory processing distractions. Research are currently done on the GAME to determine its psychometric properties.

Die vermoë om gefokus te bly op doelwit spesifieke stimuli en informasie in die teenwoordigheid van potensiële faktore wat die aandag van die individu kan aftrek, is belangrik vir enige kognitiewe funksionering. Deur mense net ‘n instruksie te gee om irrelevante stimuli te ignoreer is nie voldoende vir die voorkoming van die prosesering van hierdie informasie nie. Die kapasiteit van ‘n individu om in staat te wees om te kies tussen waaraan aandag geskenk moet word en wat om te ignoreer, speel ‘n integrale deel in aspekte wat ‘n impak het op prestasie op skool, studies, werk en buitemuurse aktiwiteite.

Om huidige (en verbeterde) vermoëns om te konsentreer en fokus (d.i. aandag beheer) te meet, word die GAME gebruik. Dit is ‘n gerekenariseerde toets en bestaan uit ‘n simbool wat verskyn wat of ingekleur is of nie. Die toetsling moet dan op die simbool reageer wat verskyn deur dit of te ignoreer (as dit nie ingekleur is nie) of ‘spacebar’ te druk as dit wel ingekleur is. Deur die toets is daar ook aspekte ingebou om te kyk hoe die toetsling reageer op beide visuele en ouditiewe afleidings. Navorsing word huidiglik gedoen op die GAME om die psigometriese eienskappe te bepaal.