The Paradigm Of The Psychological Refractory Period - Research Proposal Example

The Paradigm Of The Psychological Refractory Period Title The impact of executive attention on the attentional bottleneck. A paradigm of the psychological refractory period approach to functional neuroanatomical correlates of dual-task performance. Research rationale The rationale for the study is to find the fundamental limitation in information processing. This limitation has also been called the attentional bottleneck. This is because the limitation is presented in the course of the functional neuroanatomical, which correlates to dual-task performance. The study thus seeks to explore key parameters of neuroanatomical functioning. This will be based on the use of additional higher-level coordinative functions. There will also be the focus on how these functions can bring about a correction in the limitations found with the attentional bottleneck. The study will contribute to literature that aims to correct basic neuroanatomical functions. Much of the emphasis of the study will be on people who lack basic motivation for dual-task performance. Existing gaps in literature will also be bridged. This will focus on how the paradigm of the psychological refractory period (PRP) plays a role both identifying limitations with information processing and how it leads to finding an intervention to the situation (Pashler, 2009). Aims As part of the rationale set above, the researcher aims to use the paradigm of the psychological refractory period to find limitations to information processing. The focus will be on individuals with neuroanatomical dual-task performance disorder. The study will find the root cause of the psycho-functional disorders as relates to dual-task performance. This reason for this approach is that knowing the cause of such a problem will help in taking both a behavioral and neuroanatomical perspectives as posited by Szameitat, Schubert, Muller and von Cramon (2001). This means that the study will be a combination of fMRI and behavioral studies. Hypothesis Based on existing primary and secondary researchers on the problem of dual-test performance, the following hypotheses are held by the researcher. The researcher will later test these through the collection of data. H0: Dual-task performance in the lateral prefrontal cortex depends on the temporal overlap (SOA) of the two tasks in a PRP dual-task. H1: Dual-task performance in the lateral prefrontal cortex is independent of the temporal overlap (SOA) of the two tasks in a PRP dual-task. Research questions 1. What is the role of dual-task performance deficiencies in long-term memory capacity dysfunctions? 2. Does dual-task performance in the lateral prefrontal cortex depend on the temporal overlap (SOA) of the two tasks in a PRP dual-task? 3. Do executive functions rely on the effective functioning of the lateral prefrontal cortex to perform efficiently? Theoretical framework The research study will be approached from a conceptual perspective that emphasizes on the bottlenecks theories of attention. This is because as noted by Engle (2002), the bottlenecks theories of attention have the potential of predicting the functionality of several neuroanatomical processes. Example of this is manifested in the measure of WM capacity including real-world cognitive tasks such as dual-task performance. Based on this, the conceptual tool of antisaccade condition is going to be used. Sources The study will be conducted primarily based on the collection and use of secondary data. These secondary data will be used in a meta-analysis, where the researcher will gather statistical information from existing literature. The information will then be used to calculate meta-analysis statistics. Because of this, several existing academic and professional sources will be used as evidence. The sources will be collected mainly by the use of inclusive and exclusive criteria which is based on variables like database used, the credibility of authors, date of publication, major findings made, the contribution of research to science, and variables used. Based on a preliminary search, the following resources have been penciled down for use: Alvarez, G.A., and Cavanagh, P. (2004) The capacity of the visual short-term memory are set both by visual information load and by the number of objects. Psychol. Sci. Vol. 15 No. 2, pp. 106–111 Engle R. W. (2002). Working Memory Capacity as Executive Attention. American Psychological Society. Vol. 11 No. 1, pp. 19-31 Kawahara, J. et al. (2013) Task switching mediates the attentional blink even without backward masking. Percept. Psychophys. Vol. 65 No. 5, pp. 339–351 Kranczioch, C. et al. (2005) Neural correlates of conscious perception in the attentional blink. Neuroimage. Vol. 24 No 4, pp. 704–714 Marois R. and Ivanoff J. (2005). Capacity limits of information processing in the brain. Trends in Cognitive Sciences. Vol.9 No.6; pp. 296-320. Marois, R. et al. (2004) The neural fate of consciously perceived and missed events in the attentional blink. Neuron. Vol. 41 No. 3, pp. 465–472 Pashler H. (2009). Doing Two Things at the Same Time. American Scientist. Vol. 81 No. 3; pp. 47-55. Rousselet, G.A. et al. (2004). How parallel is visual processing in the ventral pathway? Trends Cogn. Sci. Vol. 8 No. 2, pp. 363–370 Soto Faraco, S. and Spence, C. (2012) Modality-specific auditory and visual temporal processing deficits. Q J Exp Psychol A Vol. 55 No. 5, pp. 23–40 Szameitat A. J., Schubert T., Muller K., and von Cramon D. Y. (2001). Localization of Executive Functions in Dual-Task Performance with fMRI. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience Vol. 14 No.8, pp. 1184–1199. Tombu, M. and Jolicoeur, P. (2004) Virtually no evidence for virtually perfect time-sharing. J. Exp. Psychol. Hum. Percept. Perform. Vol. 30 No. 6, pp. 795–810 Methods Primary Data Collection The primary data will be performed on respondents with dual-task dysfunction. The primary research will thus test if dual-task performance in the lateral prefrontal cortex depends on the temporal overlap (SOA) of the two tasks in a PRP dual-task. This will be carried out using a quasi-experiment. As part of the quasi-experiment, participants would be made to perform at least 3 conditions in the fMRI scanner. The three conditions will have different lengths of SOA, which are short SOA (about 0ms), average SOA (about 750ms) and long SOA (about 1500 ms). In the short SOA, both stimuli would be presented simultaneously, whiles in the long SOA, the second stimulus would be performed only after participants have responded to the first task. Secondary Data Collection After data collection in the quasi-experiment, the meta-analysis will be performed to justify the results and test the hypotheses. The approach to testing the hypotheses set above will be to use the combination of fMRI and behavioral studies. But given the fact that there are several existing counter and pro-hypothetical literature in the direction of the study, the researcher will focus on the collection of secondary data to justify or falsify the hypothesis. The collection of secondary data will be guided by the research questions. Ethics Where data collection involves the use of personal data from respondents sampled from a research setting, the researcher is going to ensure and follow ethical considerations that have to do with the identities of respondents where their identities are going to be kept anonymous. The data provided by these respondents will also be confidential and accessible only to the researcher. The involvement of respondents will also be based on their prior permission and approval whereby they will be made to agree to a consent form to be prepared ahead of the data collection exercise. Strategies for overcoming possible problems Issues of validity and reliability are perceived to be limitations for the study. These will, however, be overcome by engaging in various strategies for ensuring validity and reliability. For example, the researcher is going to use test and re-test and using mock data collection ahead of the actual data collection exercise. Intended Structure of Dissertation The study is intended to have six major sections as listed below. Chapter 1: Introduction Chapter 2: Literature Review Chapter 3: Methodology Chapter 4: Results Chapter 5: Discussion Chapter 6: Conclusion Work schedule Major milestones for the study will be completed on a quarterly basis till the 3 years duration for the course elapses. This means that the following work schedule is going be followed for the 12 quarters available. Quarter/ Milestone 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Identification of research problem Completion of research proposal Literature search Draft of chapter 1 Draft of chapter 2 Approval of chapter 1 Preparation of consent form Sampling procedure Preparation of research instruments Data collection Draft of chapter 3 Data analysis Approval for chapter 3 Draft of chapter 4 Approval of chapter 4 Draft of chapter 5 Approval of chapter 5 Draft of chapter 6 Approval of chapter 6 Completion of study Reference List Alvarez, G.A., and Cavanagh, P. (2004) The capacity of the visual short-term memory are set both by visual information load and by the number of objects. Psychol. Sci. Vol. 15 No. 2, pp. 106–111 Engle R. W. (2002). Working Memory Capacity as Executive Attention. American Psychological Society. Vol. 11 No. 1, pp. 19-31 Kawahara, J. et al. (2013) Task switching mediates the attentional blink even without backward masking. Percept. Psychophys. Vol. 65 No. 5, pp. 339–351 Kranczioch, C. et al. (2005) Neural correlates of conscious perception in the attentional blink. Neuroimage. Vol. 24 No 4, pp. 704–714 Marois R. and Ivanoff J. (2005). Capacity limits of information processing in the brain. Trends in Cognitive Sciences. Vol.9 No.6; pp. 296-320. Marois, R. et al. (2004) The neural fate of consciously perceived and missed events in the attentional blink. Neuron. Vol. 41 No. 3, pp. 465–472 Pashler H. (2009). Doing Two Things at the Same Time. American Scientist. Vol. 81 No. 3; pp. 47-55. Rousselet, G.A. et al. (2004). How parallel is visual processing in the ventral pathway? Trends Cogn. Sci. Vol. 8 No. 2, pp. 363–370 Soto Faraco, S. and Spence, C. (2012) Modality-specific auditory and visual temporal processing deficits. Q J Exp Psychol A Vol. 55 No. 5, pp. 23–40 Szameitat A. J., Schubert T., Muller K., and von Cramon D. Y. (2001). Localization of Executive Functions in Dual-Task Performance with fMRI. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience Vol. 14 No.8, pp. 1184–1199. Tombu, M. and Jolicoeur, P. (2004) Virtually no evidence for virtually perfect time-sharing. J. Exp. Psychol. Hum. Percept. Perform. Vol. 30 No. 6, pp. 795–810 Read More