Consistency of attentional control as an important cognitive trait: A latent variable analysis

doi:10.1016/j.intell.2015.01.005

Intelligence

Volume 49, March–April 2015, Pages 110-128

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.intell.2015.01.005 Get rights and content

Highlights

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Intra-individual variability (IIV) in attention control was examined.
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IIV in attention control is related to a number of cognitive abilities.
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IIV in attention control predicted real world cognitive failures.
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IIV in attention control was linked to subjective reports of mind-wandering.

Abstract

The present study examined the extent to which consistency in attention control is an important individual difference characteristic related to other cognitive abilities. Experiment 1 demonstrated that intra-individual variability (IIV) on attention control tasks and lexical decision tasks were separate factors with IIV in the attention control factor relating to working memory capacity, fluid intelligence, and long-term memory. Experiment 2 replicated these results and further demonstrated that IIV in attention control predicted everyday cognitive failures (in particular everyday attentional failures). Experiment 3 demonstrated that IIV in attention control was related to subjective reports of mind-wandering but not external distraction, suggesting that fluctuations in attention control are linked to an individual's propensity to mind-wander. Finally, Experiment 3 demonstrated that individual differences in attention control and IIV in attention control are largely the same. These results suggest that the ability to consistently allocate attention control is an important cognitive trait.

Section snippets

Experiment 1

In order to examine the nature of IIV and its relation to a number of cognitive abilities, data from Unsworth and Spillers (2010) were reanalyzed. Specifically, Experiment 1 examined whether IIV in attention control tasks and non-attention demanding RT tasks (here lexical decision tasks thought to primarily rely on lexical and semantic processing) reflects the same or different constructs and whether IIV is related to broader cognitive abilities such as working memory capacity (WMC), fluid

Experiment 2

Experiment 1 demonstrated that IIV in attention control and lexical decision tasks are not necessarily the same with IIV in attention control being related to a number of cognitive abilities and IIV in lexical decision not being related to those same abilities. The purpose of Experiment 2 was to replicate and extend these effects. Specifically, Experiment 2 examined whether IIV in attention control and lexical decision tasks would be best conceptualized as two factors and whether IIV in

Experiment 3

The purpose of Experiment 3 was to better examine individual differences in IIV in attention control. In particular, as noted previously, if IIV represents fluctuations or lapses in attention then it is important to understand what underlies these fluctuations. It is possible that fluctuations in attention are partially due to individuals experiencing mind-wandering or being distracted by external information present during the experiment. Indeed, some prior research has suggested a link

General discussion

In the current study data from three prior latent variable studies were reanalyzed to better examine the notion that consistency in attention control is an important cognitive trait. Experiment 1 demonstrated that IIV on attention control tasks and IIV on lexical decision tasks were best accounted for as separate factors with the IIV attention control factor being related to cognitive abilities including working memory capacity, fluid intelligence, and long-term memory. Experiment 2 replicated

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IIRTV refers to a short-term trial-to-trial intraindividual variation in reaction time (RT) that occurs when performing a cognitive task (West, Murphy, Armilio, Craik, & Stuss, 2002). IIRTV is considered an index of attentional control that can capture fluctuations in attentional resources or attentional lapses within consecutive, short time intervals (Isbell et al., 2018; Peng, Zhang, & Wang, 2021; Unsworth, 2015). When children have better attentional control, their responses to task-related goals are more consistent, which manifests as lower IIRTV.
Attentional control indexed by intraindividual reaction time variability (IIRTV), which is found a crucial predictor of children's academic performance, may also be influenced by children's academic achievement. However, the bidirectional longitudinal relationships between children's IIRTV and academic achievement remain unclear. This study aimed to examine this issue in 211 Chinese primary school children (98 girls; M_age = 7.39 years, SD_age = 0.49). Children's IIRTV was assessed using the flanker task - child version in three waves from the first to the third grade, and the children's final grades in Chinese and math for each year were collected from the school. The results showed that (1) IIRTV to the flanker task decreased with age; (2) IIRTV and Chinese achievement had a bidirectional longitudinal relationship, suggesting that IIRTV predicted prospective Chinese achievement; and Chinese achievement also predicted subsequent IIRTV in children. These findings have implications for promoting children's attentional control and academic performance.
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Better attentional control contributes to children’s adaptation development, whereas poor attentional control (i.e., inadequate control or regulation of attention) has been found to be associated with children’s more externalizing problems (Barkley, 1997; Belsky et al., 2007; Kim & Deater-Deckard, 2011; Rothbart & Posner, 2015). IIRTV was defined as short-term trial-to-trial intraindividual variation in reaction time (RT) when performing a cognitive task (Isbell, Calkins, Swingler, & Leerkes, 2018; Unsworth, 2015; West, Murphy, Armilio, Craik, & Stuss, 2002; Williams, Thayer, & Koenig, 2016). IIRTV has been thought to index attentional control fluctuations, which is the characteristic feature of attentional control and reflective of the process of attentional control switching between a stable state of being in the zone (being on-task) and an erratic state of being out of the zone (disengaging from the task) (Esterman, Noonan, Rosenberg, & Degutis, 2013; Isbell et al., 2018).
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Consistency of attentional control as an important cognitive trait: A latent variable analysis

Highlights

Abstract

Section snippets

Experiment 1

Experiment 2

Experiment 3

General discussion

Intelligence

Acta Psychologica

Neuropsychologia

NeuroImage

Intelligence

Acta Psychologica

Trends in Cognitive Science

Trends in Neurosciences

Acta Psychologica

Journal of Memory & Language

Acta Psychologica

Intelligence

Journal of Memory and Language

Brain and Cognition

An integrative theory of locus coeruleus–norepinephrine function: Adaptive gain and optimal performance

Annual Review of Neuroscience

Mind wandering at the fingertips: Automatic parsing of subjective states based on response variability

Frontiers in Psychology

Air Force Officer Qualifying Test (AFOQT) form P: Test manual (AFHRL-TR-89-56)

Anatomy of an error: A bidirectional state model of task engagement/disengagement and attention-related errors

Cognition

Age and sex differences in reaction time in adulthood: Results from the United Kingdom Health and Lifestyle Survey

Psychology & Aging

Microcomputer analyses of performance on a portable, simple visual RT task during sustained operations

Behavior Research Methods, Instruments, & Computers

The utility of intraindividual variability in selective attention tasks as an early marker for Alzheimer's disease

Neuropsychology

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PLoS One

Manual for kit of factor-referenced cognitive tests

Executive attention, working memory capacity, and a two-factor theory of cognitive control

Intra-individual response variability

Psychological Bulletin