Early development of attentional disengagement and phasic alertness

Abstract

Attention development is a critical foundation for cognitive abilities. This study examines the relationship between phasic aspects of alertness and disengagement in infants, using the overlap paradigm. Research shows that visual disengagement in overlap condition is modulated by auditory cues in 6-year-olds. Our participants were aged 6 months (N = 20), 12 months (N = 27), and 24 months (N = 14). Phasic alertness during overlap and no-overlap tasks was manipulated using a spatially nondirective warning signal shortly before onset of the peripheral target. Responses in overlap condition were slower and fewer than in no-overlap condition. The signal showed a tendency to reduce latencies in both overlap and no-overlap conditions. While our hypothesis that the warning signal might be more effective in younger infants was not supported, we confirmed the association reported in previous studies between temperamental soothability and disengagement latencies in infancy.