New Insights into Typical Development and Attention Deficits Using Behavioural and Modelling Methods

Klein, Jennifer (2025) New Insights into Typical Development and Attention Deficits Using Behavioural and Modelling Methods. Doctoral thesis, Birmingham City University.

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Abstract

The present thesis employs an interdisciplinary approach of behavioural and computational modelling methods to examine age- and ADHD-related differences in selective visual attention. Specifically, this thesis aims to investigate efficiency when individuals are required to allocate visual attention to a particular moment in time. Selective visual attention refers to the emergent property that arises from biased competition computations. ADHD is associated with differences in neural mechanisms that give rise to selective attention; however, this has been difficult to consistently identify at the behavioural level. Two visual search tasks, preview and preview gap search, as well as a neurocomputational model, the b-sSoTS model were used to examine differences in two time-based attention functions, visual marking and temporal binding. First, performance of typically developing children was compared against adults to establish baseline performance for children and identify developmental differences in the neural mechanisms underlying this performance (Chapter 2). This chapter thus provides a version of the b-sSoTS model that was subsequently used to reflect typically developing children with low levels of ADHD-traits and serve as a baseline to further model ADHD-related differences. In Chapter 3, typically developing children with low levels of ADHD-symptoms and high level of ADHD-symptoms were first compared on the visual search tasks. Performance at the behavioural level was then simulated by the model by implementing parameter changes to reflect hypothesized ADHD-related differences. Chapter 4 extended the investigation to adults with varying levels of differences. In a first behavioural study, adults with low, borderline and high levels of ADHD symptoms are compared using the visual search tasks. In a second behavioural study, levels of impulsiveness were also considered, as adults with low, borderline and high levels ADHD symptoms (but average impulsiveness) were compared with adults with high levels of ADHD symptoms and impulsiveness on the search tasks. Taken together, the outcomes of the present thesis suggest that while top-down visual marking is likely intact in ADHD, these individuals may experience differences in bottom-up temporal binding, at least in childhood. Furthermore, any temporal binding differences arise over and above developmental differences in the basic encoding of visual features. These findings thus serve as an interesting starting point for further research where an interdisciplinary approach using both behavioural and modelling methods can yield unique insights into selective attention in ADHD. Future research could further develop neurocomputational models to reflect the ADHD brain to draw stronger connections between the behavioural and neural levels. Research on selective visual attention in ADHD, particularly when using interdisciplinary methods, provides new insights into the neural mechanisms involved in this disorder, which can ultimately be used to develop better diagnostic and treatment procedures.

Item Type:	Thesis (Doctoral)
Dates:	Date Event 14 May 2025 Accepted
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Selective Attention, Development, ADHD, Visual Search, Computational Model
Subjects:	CAH04 - psychology > CAH04-01 - psychology > CAH04-01-02 - applied psychology CAH04 - psychology > CAH04-01 - psychology > CAH04-01-03 - developmental psychology CAH04 - psychology > CAH04-01 - psychology > CAH04-01-04 - psychology and health
Divisions:	Doctoral Research College > Doctoral Theses Collection Faculty of Business, Law and Social Sciences > College of Psychology
Depositing User:	Louise Muldowney
Date Deposited:	12 Jun 2025 15:41
Last Modified:	12 Jun 2025 15:41
URI:	https://www.open-access.bcu.ac.uk/id/eprint/16429

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