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Visuospatial attention and motor reaction in children: An electrophysiological study of the “Posner” paradigm
Author(s) -
Perchet Caroline,
GarcíaLarrea Luis
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
psychophysiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.661
H-Index - 156
eISSN - 1469-8986
pISSN - 0048-5772
DOI - 10.1111/1469-8986.3720231
Subject(s) - psychology , cued speech , electrophysiology , event related potential , selection (genetic algorithm) , cognitive psychology , audiology , choice reaction time , electroencephalography , visual attention , contingent negative variation , evoked potential , selective attention , neuroscience , developmental psychology , cognition , medicine , artificial intelligence , computer science
To assess the processing stages involved in attention shifting and response selection tasks in children, we recorded event‐related potentials (ERPs) and performance measures during a variant of the Posner paradigm. Subjects responded to visual targets, either preceded by a spatial cue (valid = same side; invalid = opposite side) or presented uncued. Valid targets evoked high‐amplitude P1 responses, single‐peaked P3s, and the shortest reaction times (RTs). Invalidly cued stimuli evoked delayed RTs, resulting in part from incorrectly oriented attention (decreased P1) leading to delayed target processing (belated N2‐P3). Invalid targets also evoked a positive slow wave attributed to prolonged response selection due to cue/target incompatibility. Uncued stimuli elicited the longest RTs, unexplained by deficits in target detection or response selection, which likely resulted from a deficit in motor preparation due to the lack of warning signal. This method may be applied in clinical settings to disentangle selective processing deficits in target detection, response selection, or motor preparation stages.