The research proposed in this application is one of the first programs of research specifically designed to investigate differences in visual selective attention between persons with and without mental retardation. Mechanisms of selective attention are assumed to be related to many different aspects of cognitive performance. It is therefore important to direct considerable research efforts to the study of attentional functioning of persons with mental retardation. The focus of this application is on: a) assessing the relative abilities of persons with and without mental retardation to restrict visual attention to a limited area of the visual field; b) examining more closely previously observed differences in the relative abilities of persons with and without mental retardation to actively inhibit processing of and responses to irrelevant stimuli in the visual array; and c) investigating the relationship between group differences in visual selective attention and long term learning. Eleven experiments are propose to be conducted during the five years of requested support. It is expected that the results of the proposed research will provide important insight into the relative difficulties that persons with mental retardation have in processing meaningful information. Because most of the cognitive activities in which older children and adults engage require the selection, storage, retrieval, and manipulation of semantic knowledge, this is a domain of research that relates to almost all intelligent behavior.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development (NICHD)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01HD030263-05
Application #
6182222
Study Section
Human Development and Aging Subcommittee 3 (HUD)
Program Officer
Hanson, James W
Project Start
1996-05-01
Project End
2002-04-30
Budget Start
2000-05-01
Budget End
2002-04-30
Support Year
5
Fiscal Year
2000
Total Cost
$109,333
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa
Department
Psychology
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
045632635
City
Tuscaloosa
State
AL
Country
United States
Zip Code
35487