Purpose: Previous studies (e.g., G. Wulf, M. HoB, & W. Prinz, 1998; G. Wulf, B. Lauterbach, & T. Toole, 1999; for a review, see G. Wulf & W. Prinz, 2001) have reported that limb motor performance is enhanced when individuals adopt an external focus (focusing on the effect of the movement) versus an internal focus of attention (focusing on body…

This study examined relations among effortful control, motivation, and attention regulation in preschoolers within the context of parent-child interactions. Sixty-one low-income children and their mothers participated in a puzzle-matching task. One week later, the children completed a puzzle-matching task independently. Hierarchical regression…

Background: Research has shown that early identification of children with language issues is critical for effective intervention, and yet many children are not identified until school age. The use of parent-completed rating scales, especially in urban, minority populations, might improve early identification if parent ratings are found to be…

Attention to task-relevant and task-irrelevant information was compared in high- and low-test-anxious children. Results indicated that high-test anxious persons divide their attention in evaluative situations. It is suggested that providing them with task-relevant strategies helps them to cope with the negative effects of test anxiety. (JMB)

The study compared the performance of schizophrenic patients and normal controls in their ability to direct visual attention. The first experiment compared 12 adult schizophrenic patients with 30 control volunteers in their ability to orient attention in response to peripheral visual cues. The patients were distinguished from controls by a slower…

The component selection procedure developed by Hale and Morgan was used to assess children's use of selective attention at six levels of learning ranging from undertraining to overtraining. This function was examined at each of ages 4, 8, and 12. (SBT)

Examines the relationship between resistence to interference and personality disturbance. Concludes that resistance to interference can be used as a diagnostic dimension in assessing the likelihood of personality disturbance. (HMV)

Based on author's PhD dissertation, University of California, Los Angeles (1967).

THE PERFORMANCE OF CHILDREN 5 1/2, 6 1/2, AND 7 1/2 YEARS OF AGE ON AN ODDITY PROBLEM UNDER THREE CONDITIONS OF DISTRACTION WAS INVESTIGATED. SUBJECT'S GLANCES AWAY FROM THE TASK WERE RECORDED ALONG WITH THEIR LEARNING DATA. ON THE BASIS OF EARLIER FINDINGS AND AN HYPOTHESIS THAT THE ABILITY OF CHILDREN TO MOBILIZE AND DIRECT THEIR ATTENTION…

THIS STUDY TESTED METHODS OF INCREASING TASK-ORIENTED BEHAVIOR OF INATTENTIVE SECOND-GRADE PUPILS TO HELP DEVELOP EFFECTIVE WORK HABITS AND ATTITUDES AT AN EARLY AGE. THE ASSUMPTION WAS MADE THAT THE INATTENTIVE BEHAVIOR OF PUPILS WAS MAINTAINED, IN PART, BY THE REINFORCEMENT UNINTENTIONALLY PROVIDED BY FREQUENT TEACHER REMINDERS FOR THE CHILD TO…

To determine the effect of purpose, background information, and distractions on the listening act, 692 fourth graders in 24 classrooms were randomly assigned to eight treatment conditions before listening to a 12 minute taped dramatization. One half of the classes were told they would be tested on the taped material; the other half were given no…

This study identified two groups of teachers with different control styles and examined changes in their behavior during the year. Seventeen K-2 teachers who varied in control style were observed at the beginning of school, in late October, and during the winter. Four observation instruments, a rating device, and a classroom description were used.…

This paper explores the values, techniques, and philosophy of the eastern religion of Zen Buddhism. Like other therapeutic systems, Zen techniques are based upon both personality theory (conception of man) and therapeutic goals (conception of who man can become.) The paper first gives a brief overview of Zen's personality theory: who man is; who…

The spans of apprehension (the amount of information processed simultaneously from a brief visual display) of 19 hyperactive and 19 normal boys (6-10 years old) were compared with a forced-choice letter-recognition task developed by W. Estes. (Author/CL)