DETERMINANTS OF INFANT VISUAL ATTENTION

这项拟议的研究旨在分析 婴儿视觉注意力的变化是经验的函数 通过一种刺激。初步研究表明，至少有两个独立的 涉及到过程：控制响应递减的纪念过程 (习惯化)，以及控制反应增量的唤醒过程 (敏化)。与大多数以前的工作相反，以前的工作只强调 在纪念过程中，本项目的重点是宣传 进程。一种研究途径将确定以下刺激决定因素 敏化过程。一种称为线性系统分析的技术是 考虑对象的物理属性之间的“匹配” 刺激与婴儿视觉系统(AS)的特征 从对比敏感度估计)。最敏感的刺激可能是 那些与婴儿的感知能力非常匹配的。另一个 一系列研究将调查敏化对 不同年龄婴幼儿的视觉注意。相对较高的水平 敏感化可能与缓慢的反应速度有很大关系 在非常小的婴儿身上观察到的减退，就像任何记忆缺陷一样。 最后，敏感化和学习过程之间的相互作用将 被研究。敏感化延长了视觉注视时间，因此， 导致对视觉图案刺激进行更好的编码。如果有两个(或更多) 过程调节婴儿的视觉注意，然后解释 婴儿视觉注视数据必须重新考虑：视觉变化 注意力不仅反映认知因素，还反映感官和 激励因素。对视觉的临床应用感兴趣的研究人员 固定数据必须考虑多个决定因素 牵涉其中。

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.