Covert Orienting and Infant Visual Cognition

项目摘要 本研究的主要目的是探讨空间线索对注意和知觉的影响 使用眼动追踪和事件相关电位（ERP）在婴儿期进行处理，并确定 在婴儿期使用真实的头部模型处理先前提示或未提示的视觉刺激的大脑 和皮层源分析。研究表明，利用空间线索，旨在引起隐蔽定向 (i.e.,将注意力集中在空间位置上而不看它）可以增强感知处理， 婴儿期的记忆（例如，Markant等人，2015; Ross-Sheehy等人，2011年）。研究结果表明， 空间线索对婴儿知觉学习和记忆的影响只发生在被认为会引起抑制的试验中 返回（IOR）。因此，婴儿可能在需要抑制过程的条件下表现出最佳学习。 或者，空间线索对婴儿注意力和知觉处理的影响可能由以下因素决定： 多种因素，包括任务特征和年龄，内隐定向可能会提高注意力， 对目标的感知处理，而不管是否参与抑制过程。具体目标1 研究空间线索和内隐定向对3-， 6个月和9个月大的婴儿。一个多层次的系统方法将被用来检查婴儿的表现， 通过眼动追踪和ERP的组合使用的修改的空间提示/识别记忆任务。这 将允许最全面的分析，迄今为止的潜在机制有关的秘密 定向、视觉注意和知觉处理。具体目标2是确定 大脑参与处理3个月、6个月和9个月大的婴儿的线索和非线索视觉目标。真实头 将利用ERP数据的建模和皮层源分析来实现这一AM。据预测 内隐定向将增强注意力，并促进知觉处理的条件下，为6和9个月- 根据参与注意力控制和抑制的额区功能成熟度， 处理.这项工作将填补现有文献中关于神经机制的主要空白， 婴儿期内隐定向后对视觉目标的加工--这一过程是视觉目标的基础。 在杂乱的自然环境中处理。拟议研究的结果可以为未来的工作提供信息， 识别有发展障碍风险的儿童视觉认知发展的非典型模式。

Project Summary The major goals of this proposal are to investigate the impact of spatial cueing on attention and perceptual processing in infancy using eye tracking and event-related potentials (ERP), and to determine areas of the brain involved in processing previously cued or uncued visual stimuli in infancy using realistic head modeling and cortical source analysis. Research has shown that utilizing spatial cues designed to elicit covert orienting (i.e., focusing attention on a spatial location without looking at it) can enhance perceptual processing and memory in infancy (e.g., Markant et al., 2015; Ross-Sheehy et al., 2011). Findings indicate that the benefits of spatial cueing on infant perceptual learning and memory occur exclusively on trials believed to elicit inhibition of return (IOR). Thus, infants may demonstrate optimal learning in conditions that require inhibitory processes. Alternatively, the effects of spatial cues on infant attention and perceptual processing are likely determined by multiple factors, including task characteristics and age, and covert orienting likely enhances attention and perceptual processing to targets regardless of whether or not inhibitory processes are engaged. Specific Aim 1 is to determine the effects of spatial cueing and covert orienting on attention and perceptual processing for 3-, 6-, and 9-month-old infants. A multilevel systems approach will be utilized to examine infants' performance on a modified spatial cueing/recognition memory task through the combined use of eye tracking and ERPs. This will allow for the most comprehensive analysis to date of potential mechanisms associated with covert orienting, visual attention, and perceptual processing in infancy. Specific Aim 2 is to determine areas of the brain involved in processing cued and uncued visual targets for 3-, 6-, and 9-month-old infants. Realistic head modeling and cortical source analysis of the ERP data will be utilized to achieve this am. It is predicted that covert orienting will enhance attention and foster perceptual processing across conditions for 6- and 9-month- old infants based on functional maturity of the frontal areas involved in attentional control and inhibitory processing. This work will fill a major gap in the existing literature regarding neural mechanisms involved in processing visual targets following covert orienting in infancy - a process that is fundamental to visual processing in cluttered naturalistic settings. Findings from the proposed research can inform future work aimed at identifying atypical patterns of visual cognitive development for children at risk for developmental disabilities.