Simultaneous Cognitive Processing Research Articles

Eye Movement Evidence for Simultaneous Cognitive Processing in Reading.

Measuring simultaneous processing, a reliable predictor of reading development and reading difficulties (RDs), has traditionally involved cognitive tasks that test reaction or response time, which only capture the efficiency at the output processing stage and neglect the internal stages of information processing. However, with eye-tracking methodology, we can reveal the underlying temporal and spatial processes involved in simultaneous processing and investigate whether these processes are equivalent across chronological or reading age groups. This study used eye-tracking to investigate the simultaneous processing abilities of 15 Grade 6 and 15 Grade 3 children with RDs and their chronological-age controls (15 in each Grade). The Grade 3 typical readers were used as reading-level (RL) controls for the Grade 6 RD group. Participants were required to listen to a question and then point to a picture among four competing illustrations demonstrating the spatial relationship raised in the question. Two eye movements (fixations and saccades) were recorded using the EyeLink 1000 Plus eye-tracking system. The results showed that the Grade 3 RD group produced more and longer fixations than their CA controls, indicating that the pattern of eye movements of young children with RD is typically deficient compared to that of their typically developing counterparts when processing verbal and spatial stimuli simultaneously. However, no differences were observed between the Grade 6 groups in eye movement measures. Notably, the Grade 6 RD group outperformed the RL-matched Grade 3 group, yielding significantly fewer and shorter fixations. The discussion centers on the role of the eye-tracking method as a reliable means of deciphering the simultaneous cognitive processing involved in learning.

الفروق في العمليات المعرفية لدى عينة من الطلاب الموهوبين ذوي صعوبات تعلم اللغة الإنجليزية والطلاب العاديين في مرحلة التعليم الأساسي باليمن

هدفت الدراسة إلى التعرف على الفروق في العمليات المعرفية لنظرية لوريا - داس للذکاء لدى عينة من الطلاب الموهوبين ذوي صعوبات تعلم اللغة الإنجليزية والطلاب العاديين في مرحلة التعليم الأساسي باليمن، وتکون مجتمع الدراسة من جميع طلاب الصف الثامن من مرحلة التعليم الأساسي في المدرسة اليمنية الحديثة ، والبالغ عددهم (81) طالبا وطالبا، وتکونت عينة الدراسة من مجموعتين: الموهوبين ذوو صعوبات تعلم اللغة الإنجليزية وعددهم (7) طلاب، والعاديين وعددهم (7) طلاب من طلاب الصف الثامن من مرحلة التعليم الأساسي للعام الدراسي 2019-2020م والذي تم اختيارهما قصديا وفقا لشروط محددة، وتمثلت أدوات الدراسة في : اختبار المصفوفات المتتابعة العادي لريفن من إعداد أحمد عثمان (1987)، ومنظومة التقييم المعرفي CAS2 إعداد DAS ،Naglieri & Goldstein (2014) تعريب وتقنين أحمد حجوري (2021)،ومقياس تقدير سلوک الموهبة – صورة المدرسة إعداد رانيا إمام (2017) ، ومقياس المسح النيرولوجي السريع إعداد عبدالوهاب کامل (1999)، وتم تحليل البيانات إحصائيا باستخدام المتوسطات الحسابية ،الانحرافات المعيارية، واختبار مان- ويتني للعينات المستقلة، وأسفرت نتائج الدراسة عن عدم وجود فروق دالة إحصائيا بين متوسطي رتب درجات الطلاب الموهوبين ذوي صعوبات تعلم اللغة الإنجليزية والطلاب العاديين في الدرجة الکلية لمقياس التخطيط، وأبعاده (تخطيط الرموز PCd، تخيط التوصيلات PCn)، ماعدا بعد (تخطيط مطابقة الأرقام PNM) حيث کانت هناک فروق لصالح العاديين، وعدم وجود فروق دالة احصائيا بين متوسطي رتب درجات الطلاب الموهوبين ذوي صعوبات تعلم اللغة الإنجليزية والطلاب العاديين في الدرجة الکلية والأبعاد الفرعية لمقياس الانتباه ، مقياس المعالجة المعرفية المتزامنة ، ومقياس المعالجة المعرفية المتتابعة. The study aimed to identify the differences in the cognitive processes of Luria - Das theory of intelligence among a sample of Gifted Students with English Language Learning Disabilities and normal students in the basic education stage in Yemen; the study population consisted of all students of the eighth grade of the basic education stage in the modern Yemeni school, their number were (81); the sample of study consisted of two groups: gifted students with English language learning disabilities and their number were (7), and normal students , their number were(7), from students in the eighth grade of the basic education stage for the academic year 2019-2020 AD, who were intentionally chosen according to specific conditions, and the study tools were: Raven Standard Matrix Exam prepared by Ahmed Othman (1987), CAS2 cognitive assessment system for DAS, Naglieri & Goldstein (2014) prepared and rationed by Ahmed Hajoury (2021), the Gifted Rating Scales-School form prepared by Rania Emam (2017), and the Survey Scale Rapid Neurology prepared by Abdel Wahab Kamel (1999). The data were analyzed statistically using arithmetic means, standard deviations, and the Man-Whitney the test for independent samples. The results of the study revealed that there were no statistically significant differences between the mean ranks of the grades of gifted students with English language learning disabilities and normal students in the total score of the planning scale, and its dimensions (PCd,PCn), except for the dimension (PNM matching planning), where there were Differences in favor of the normal, and there were no statistically significant differences between the mean ranks of the grades of gifted students with English language learning disabilities and normal students in the total score and sub-dimensions of the attention scale, simultaneous cognitive processing scale, and successive cognitive processing scale. Based on the results of the study, the study recommends the necessity of paying attention to the planning process and developing its strategies for gifted students with learning Disabilities.

Single- Versus Dual-Task Functional Movement Paradigms: A Biomechanical Analysis.

Laboratory-based movement assessments are commonly performed without cognitive stimuli (ie,single-task) despite the simultaneous cognitive processing and movement (ie,dual task) demands required during sport. Cognitive loading may critically alter human movement and be an important consideration for truly assessing functional movement and understanding injury risk in the laboratory, but limited investigations exist. To comprehensively examine and compare kinematics and kinetics between single- and dual-task functional movement among healthy participants while controlling for sex. Cross-sectional study. Laboratory. Patients (or Other Participants): Forty-one healthy, physically active participants (49% female; 22.5 ± 2.1y; 172.5 ± 11.9cm; 71.0 ± 13.7kg) enrolled in and completed the study. All participants completed the functional movement protocol under single- and dual-task (subtracting by 6s or 7s) conditions in a randomized order. Participants jumped forward from a 30-cm tall box and performed (1)maximum vertical jump landings and (2)dominant and (3)nondominant leg, single-leg 45° cuts after landing. The authors used mixed-model analysis of variances (α = .05) to compare peak hip, knee, and ankle joint angles (degrees) and moments (N·m/BW) in the sagittal and frontal planes, and peak vertical ground reaction force (N/BW) and vertical impulse (Ns/BW) between cognitive conditions and sex. Dual-task resulted in greater peak vertical ground reaction force compared with single-task during jump landing (mean difference = 0.06N/BW; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.01 to 0.12; P = .025) but less force during dominant leg cutting (mean difference = -0.08N/BW; 95% CI, -0.14 to -0.02; P = .015). Less hip-flexion torque occurred during dual task than single task (mean difference = -0.09N/BW; 95% CI, -0.17 to -0.02). No other outcomes were different between single and dual task (P ≥ .053). Slight, but potentially important, kinematic and kinetic differences were observed between single- and dual-task that may have implications for functional movement assessments and injury risk research. More research examining how various cognitive and movement tasks interact to alter functional movement among pathological populations is warranted before clinical implementation.

Is Training with the N-Back Task More Effective Than with Other Tasks? N-Back vs. Dichotic Listening vs. Simple Listening

Cognitive training most commonly uses computerized tasks that stimulate simultaneous cognitive processing in two modalities, such as a dual n-back task with visual and auditive stimuli, or on two receptive channels, such as a listening task with dichotically presented stimuli. The present study was designed to compare a dual n-back task and a dichotic listening (DL) task with an active control condition (a simple listening task) and a no-training control condition for their impact on cognitive performance, daily life memory, and mindfulness. One hundred thirty healthy adults aged 18–55 years were randomly assigned to one of the four conditions. The training consisted of twenty 15-min sessions spread across 4 weeks. The results indicated some improvement on episodic memory tasks and a trend for enhanced performance in an untrained working memory (WM) span task following cognitive training relative to the no-training control group. However, the only differential training effects were found for the DL training in increasing choice reaction performance and a trend for self-reported mindfulness. Transfer to measures of fluid intelligence and memory in daily life did not emerge. Additionally, we found links between self-efficacy and n-back training performance and between emotion regulation and training motivation. Our results contribute to the field of WM training by demonstrating that our listening tasks are comparable in effect to a dual n-back task in slightly improving memory. The possibility of improving attentional control and mindfulness through dichotic listening training is promising and deserves further consideration.

Motor and cognitive performance differences between children with and without developmental coordination disorder (DCD)

The current study adopts the PASS theory of information processing to investigate the probable differences in specific motor and cognitive abilities between children with and without developmental coordination disorder (DCD). Participants were 108 5- and 6-year-old preschoolers (54 children with DCD and 54 children without DCD). The Movement Assessment Battery for Children assessed motor function. Running speed and agility were measured using the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency. Finally, the Planning, Attention and Simultaneous Scales from the Das-Naglieri Cognitive Assessment System evaluated cognitive ability. Children with DCD differed significantly from those without DCD performing at a lower level on all motor and cognitive tasks. A correlation analysis revealed significant relationships between cognitive processes and motor skills. Simultaneous cognitive processing and manual dexterity were significantly correlated for both groups. Furthermore, a significant relationship was revealed between planning cognitive processing and balance for the non-DCD group. Thus, early assessment might identify specific cognitive-motor difficulties. Furthermore, early intervention might prevent some of the developmental comorbidities in the academic and everyday lives of children with movement difficulties.

Anxiety and selective attention in obsessive–compulsive disorder

Recently, there has been increasing evidence for information-processing deficits in individuals with obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD). While impairments in selective attention have been identified to be central to the symptomatology of OCD, the role that situational anxiety plays in attentional processes has not been fully explored. Previous research findings were limited to tasks containing anxiety-relevant materials, only permitting for the evaluation of the impact of anxiety on simultaneous cognitive processing. Furthermore, it has not yet been determined whether the impact of anxiety is limited to selective attention or is indicative of a more general cognitive impairment. This study was designed to examine the role that situational anxiety plays in selective attention impairments. OCD participants and controls were presented with an anxiety producing statement and a neutral statement, followed by the Stroop Task. Results indicated that situational anxiety plays a significant role in the performance of tasks that require selective attention in OCD. A significant deterioration was detected in performance on selective attention tasks for the OCD participants after confronting anxiety-provoking scenarios, as compared to neutral scenarios. Anxiety did not impair performance on simple reading tasks. Possible explanations are discussed.