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ERPs and Psychopathology I. Behavioral Process Issues a
Author(s) -
ROTH WALTON T.,
TECCE JOSEPH J.,
PFEFFERBAUM ADOLF,
ROSENBLOOM MARGARET,
CALLAWAY ENOCH
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
annals of the new york academy of sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.712
H-Index - 248
eISSN - 1749-6632
pISSN - 0077-8923
DOI - 10.1111/j.1749-6632.1984.tb23573.x
Subject(s) - administration (probate law) , veterans affairs , service (business) , medical school , gerontology , medicine , psychiatry , psychology , library science , medical education , political science , law , computer science , economy , economics
The clinical study of ERPs has an inherent defect--a self-selection of clinical populations that hampers equating of clinically defined groups on factors extraneous to the independent variables. Such ex post facto studies increase the likelihood of confounding variables in the interpretation of findings. Hence, the development of lawful relationships between clinical variables and ERPs is impeded and the fulfillment of description, explanation, prediction, and control in brain science is thwarted. Proper methodologies and theory development can increase the likelihood of establishing these lawful relationships. One methodology of potential value in the clinical application of ERPs, particularly in studies of aging, is that of divided attention. Two promising theoretical developments in the understanding of brain functioning and aging are the distraction-arousal hypothesis and the controlled-automatic attention model. The evaluation of ERPs in the study of brain-behavior relations in clinical populations might be facilitated by the differentiation of concurrent, predictive, content, and construct validities.