Decision-making training reduces the attentional blink

Area of Science:

• Cognitive psychology
• Neuroscience
• Human attention research

Background:

• Task-specific training often shows limited generalization to other tasks.
• Response selection training has been hypothesized to enhance temporal visual attention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if response selection training can reduce the attentional blink (AB).
• To determine the specificity and durability of training-induced changes in temporal visual attention.

Main Methods:

• Participants underwent repeated speeded decision-making tasks for response selection training.
• The attentional blink (AB) paradigm was used to measure temporal visual attention.
• Transfer effects were assessed using visual search and multitasking ability measures.
• Training effects were evaluated 2 weeks post-completion.

Main Results:

• Response selection training significantly reduced the attentional blink (AB).
• Training gains transferred to other measures of the AB but not to visual search or multitasking.
• Observed improvements in temporal visual attention persisted for at least 2 weeks.
• Active control tasks (visual search, motion discrimination) did not yield similar improvements.

Conclusions:

• Temporal visual attention, as indexed by the AB, is malleable through response selection training.
• Cognitive enhancement through targeted training is feasible, with specific transfer effects.
• Response selection training offers a promising avenue for future cognitive enhancement strategies.