The attentional blink and children: development selective attention and automatic processing

This thesis was focussed on the development of processes underpinning the Attentional Blink (AB). This effect relates to the interference of processing a target stimulus on the subsequent processing of a probe stimulus in a rapid serial visual presentation (Raymond, Shapiro, & Arnell, 1992). The sample consisted of 84 children, aged from 7 to 10 (M = 8.32, sd = 0.84). Premature children (n = 43) were included in the experiment as they are considered to have a developmental delay in executive functioning (Luciana, Lindeke, Georgieff, Mills, & Nelson, 1999). Using a detection experiment, as opposed to identification, an AB was found. Results are discussed in relation to selective attention and automatic processing.