Skip to main content Skip to search

Attentional style and the self-regulation of mode-specific attention: An electroencephalograhic study

Attentional style and the self-regulation of mode-specific attention: An electroencephalograhic study
Journal of Abnormal Psychology
Short Title: Attentional style and the self-regulation of mode-specific attention
Format: Journal Article
Publication Year: 1976
Pages: 611-621
Library/Archive: (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved
Sources ID: 22615
Visibility: Private
Zotero Collections: Contexts of Contemplation Project
Abstract: (Show)

Assessed the cortical concomitants of selective mode-specific attention in Ss differing in the capacity for sustained attentional involvement. 10 high- and 10 low-scoring Ss on the Tellegen Absorption Scale were required to (a) simply attend to either a randomly flashing light or a randomly produced tapping sensation on the forearm during one block of trials and to (b) count the flashes and the taps during another trial block. The EEG was recorded from the left occipital and left sensorimotor regions and was filtered for alpha activity and quantified on line. Selective mode-specific attention produced reliable shifts in cortical patterning between kinesthetic and visual attention trials. During the counting condition, high-scoring Ss showed significantly greater specificity in cortical patterning than did low-scoring Ss. This difference was primarily a function of high-scoring Ss' ability to inhibit activation in the occipital region while counting taps. Findings suggest that high scores on the Absorption scale are associated with a flexible attentional style and that, given the requisite task demands, attentionally absorbed Ss show greater mode-specific cortical patterning during selective attention than do low scorers. (36 ref)

Zotero Collections 
Subjects: 
Contexts of Contemplation Project