DETERMINANTS OF INFANT VISUAL ATTENTION

拟议的研究旨在分析潜在的过程， 婴儿视觉注意力的变化是经验的函数 一个刺激。 初步研究表明，至少有两个独立的 涉及的进程：控制响应递减的记忆进程 （习惯化）和控制反应增量的唤醒过程 （致敏）。 与大多数以前的工作相反， 纪念进程，本项目的重点是宣传 过程 研究的一个途径将确定刺激因素， 敏感化过程。 一种称为线性系统分析的技术， 采用，它认为“适合”的物理性质之间的 刺激和婴儿视觉系统的特点（如 根据对比敏感度估计）。 最敏感的刺激可能是 那些与婴儿的感知能力紧密匹配的。 另一 一系列研究将调查敏感化对以下方面的贡献： 不同年龄婴儿的视觉注意力。 相对高水平的 敏感性可能与反应速度慢有关， 在非常年幼的婴儿中观察到记忆减退，任何记忆缺陷也是如此。 最后，宣传和学习过程之间的相互作用将 被研究。 致敏作用使视觉固定减弱，因此， 导致视觉模式刺激的更好编码。 如果两个（或更多） 过程调节婴儿的视觉注意力，然后解释 必须重新考虑婴儿视觉注视数据：视觉变化 注意不仅反映认知因素，而且还反映感觉和 动机因素 对视觉的临床应用感兴趣的研究人员 固定数据必须考虑到多个决定因素 涉案

The proposed research is designed to analyze the processes underlying the changes in infant visual attention that occur as a function of experience with a stimulus. Preliminary studies show that at least two independent processes are involved: A memorial process controlling response decrements (habituation), and an arousal process controlling response increments (sensitization). In contrast to most previous work, which emphasized only the memorial process, the present project focuses on the sensitization process. One avenue of research will identify the stimulus determinants of the sensitization process. A technique called linear systems analysis is employed, which considers the "fit" between the physical properties of the stimulus and the characteristics of the infant's visual system (as estimated from contrast sensitivity). The most sensitizing stimuli may be those that closely match the infant's perceptual capabilities. Another line of research will investigate the contribution of sensitization to visual attention of different aged infants. A relatively high level of sensitization could have as much to do with the slow rate of response decrement observed with very young infants as does any memorial deficit. Finally, the interaction between sensitization and learning processes will be studied. Sensitization prolongs visual fixation and may, therefore, lead to better encoding of visual pattern stimuli. If two (or more) processes modulate infant visual attention, then the interpretation of infant visual fixation data must be reconsidered: Change in visual attention reflect not only cognitive factors, but also sensory and motivational factors. Researchers interested in the clinical use of visual fixation data must take into account the multiple determining factors involved.