Selective Attention Deficits in Persons With Autism: Preliminary Evidence of an Inefficient Attentional Lens

摘要: A forced-choice reaction time (RT) task was used to assess the filtering component of selective attention in mental-age (MA) matched groups persons with autism (n = 12), organic mental retardation 32), familial 30), and no handicap (« 34). Conditions varied regard presence or absence a window number (zero, two, four) location distractors. The RTs improved relative other without distractors, but this effect negated when distractors were also presented. performance most impaired These findings represent preliminary behavioral evidence an inefficient attentional lens among autism. ability attend selectively meaningful sources information while ignoring irrelevant ones is essential competent adaptive functioning (Lane & Pearson, 1982). attending particularly challenging that human mind has finite capacity, faced infinite amounts from surrounding environments (e.g., Broadbent, 1971; Enns, 1990; Kahneman, 1973; Pearson Lane, 1990). Thus, efficient extraneous facilitates processing maximum utility for given (Enns Cameron, 1987; Enns Girgus, 1985; Gibson Rader, 1979). Conversely, leads increased distraction diminished cognitive as responses stimuli interfere targeted (Douglas Peters, 1979; Lane Without selectivity developing child little chance make sense environment function competently within it. Accordingly, study poignant focus who are characterized by lower lev