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Measuring Attention and Visual Processing Speed by Model-based Analysis of Temporal-order Judgments
Published on: January 23, 2017
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Longitudinal evidence linking processing speed to the development of reasoning.
Robert V Kail1, Arne Lervåg2, Charles Hulme3
1Department of Psychological Sciences, Purdue University, USA. rkail@purdue.edu.
Developmental Science
|November 6, 2015
Summary
Processing speed directly impacts reasoning development in children. While indirect links through working memory (WM) were inconsistent, faster processing speed appears crucial for enhancing reasoning abilities over time.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Development
- Developmental Psychology
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Age-related changes in processing speed are associated with cognitive development.
- Previous research linking processing speed to reasoning primarily used cross-sectional designs.
- Working memory (WM) is hypothesized as a mediator between processing speed and reasoning.
Purpose of the Study:
- To longitudinally investigate the relationship between processing speed, working memory (WM), and nonverbal reasoning in children.
- To examine direct and indirect pathways from processing speed to reasoning development.
- To provide empirical evidence from a longitudinal study on these cognitive relationships.
Main Methods:
- A 2.5-year longitudinal study involving 277 children aged 6-13.
- Assessed processing speed using Visual Matching and Cross Out tasks.
- Measured working memory (WM) with various span tasks and nonverbal reasoning with Raven's progressive matrices.
Main Results:
- Consistent evidence supported a direct link between processing speed and nonverbal reasoning.
- Evidence for an indirect link from processing speed to reasoning via working memory (WM) was inconsistent.
- Processing speed variations appear to directly influence reasoning development.
Conclusions:
- Processing speed is a significant factor in the development of reasoning abilities in children.
- Direct effects of processing speed on reasoning are more robust than indirect effects through working memory.
- Findings suggest that interventions targeting processing speed may benefit reasoning development.
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