Attention and working memory in elderly: the influence of a distracting environment

Detalhes bibliográficos
Autor(a) principal: Rodrigues, Pedro F. S.
Data de Publicação: 2015
Outros Autores: Pandeirada, Josefa N. S.
Tipo de documento: Artigo
Idioma: eng
Título da fonte: Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)
Texto Completo: http://hdl.handle.net/11328/4471
Resumo: The present work investigated the effect of a distracting environment in the performance of attentional and working memory (WM) tasks in elderly participants. To this end, forty elderly performed two attentional tasks (simple reaction time and go/no-go tasks), and three WM tasks (arithmetic, memory for digits and sequences of letters and numbers). Each participant performed the tasks in a distracting and a non-distracting environment, with an interval of 14-21 days between sessions. The results revealed better performance in the attentional tasks when these were done in the non-distracting environment, as compared to when they were done in the distracting environment. Specifically, participants provided more accurate responses, fewer false alarms and omissions when responding in the non-distracting environment than when responding in the distracting environment. Participants were also faster at providing correct responses in the go/no-go task when it was performed in the non-distracting environment. As for the memory tasks, the effect of type of environment was significant only in the memory for digits in a forward direction task. Our data suggest the need to consider the potential damaging consequences of distracting environments when the elderly have to perform tasks that demand their attention. Specific examples of such situations are presented in the discussion (e.g., distracting effect of environment on medical and on psychological evaluations).
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spelling Attention and working memory in elderly: the influence of a distracting environmentElderlyDistracting environmentAttentionSelective attentionWorking memoryThe present work investigated the effect of a distracting environment in the performance of attentional and working memory (WM) tasks in elderly participants. To this end, forty elderly performed two attentional tasks (simple reaction time and go/no-go tasks), and three WM tasks (arithmetic, memory for digits and sequences of letters and numbers). Each participant performed the tasks in a distracting and a non-distracting environment, with an interval of 14-21 days between sessions. The results revealed better performance in the attentional tasks when these were done in the non-distracting environment, as compared to when they were done in the distracting environment. Specifically, participants provided more accurate responses, fewer false alarms and omissions when responding in the non-distracting environment than when responding in the distracting environment. Participants were also faster at providing correct responses in the go/no-go task when it was performed in the non-distracting environment. As for the memory tasks, the effect of type of environment was significant only in the memory for digits in a forward direction task. Our data suggest the need to consider the potential damaging consequences of distracting environments when the elderly have to perform tasks that demand their attention. Specific examples of such situations are presented in the discussion (e.g., distracting effect of environment on medical and on psychological evaluations).Springer Verlag2022-09-12T11:26:01Z2015-01-01T00:00:00Z2015info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersioninfo:eu-repo/semantics/articleapplication/pdfhttp://hdl.handle.net/11328/4471eng1612-4790 (Online)1612-4782 (Print)10.1007/s10339-014-0628-yRodrigues, Pedro F. S.Pandeirada, Josefa N. S.info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessreponame:Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)instname:Agência para a Sociedade do Conhecimento (UMIC) - FCT - Sociedade da Informaçãoinstacron:RCAAP2023-06-15T02:13:08ZPortal AgregadorONG
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Attention and working memory in elderly: the influence of a distracting environment
title Attention and working memory in elderly: the influence of a distracting environment
spellingShingle Attention and working memory in elderly: the influence of a distracting environment
Rodrigues, Pedro F. S.
Elderly
Distracting environment
Attention
Selective attention
Working memory
title_short Attention and working memory in elderly: the influence of a distracting environment
title_full Attention and working memory in elderly: the influence of a distracting environment
title_fullStr Attention and working memory in elderly: the influence of a distracting environment
title_full_unstemmed Attention and working memory in elderly: the influence of a distracting environment
title_sort Attention and working memory in elderly: the influence of a distracting environment
author Rodrigues, Pedro F. S.
author_facet Rodrigues, Pedro F. S.
Pandeirada, Josefa N. S.
author_role author
author2 Pandeirada, Josefa N. S.
author2_role author
dc.contributor.author.fl_str_mv Rodrigues, Pedro F. S.
Pandeirada, Josefa N. S.
dc.subject.por.fl_str_mv Elderly
Distracting environment
Attention
Selective attention
Working memory
topic Elderly
Distracting environment
Attention
Selective attention
Working memory
description The present work investigated the effect of a distracting environment in the performance of attentional and working memory (WM) tasks in elderly participants. To this end, forty elderly performed two attentional tasks (simple reaction time and go/no-go tasks), and three WM tasks (arithmetic, memory for digits and sequences of letters and numbers). Each participant performed the tasks in a distracting and a non-distracting environment, with an interval of 14-21 days between sessions. The results revealed better performance in the attentional tasks when these were done in the non-distracting environment, as compared to when they were done in the distracting environment. Specifically, participants provided more accurate responses, fewer false alarms and omissions when responding in the non-distracting environment than when responding in the distracting environment. Participants were also faster at providing correct responses in the go/no-go task when it was performed in the non-distracting environment. As for the memory tasks, the effect of type of environment was significant only in the memory for digits in a forward direction task. Our data suggest the need to consider the potential damaging consequences of distracting environments when the elderly have to perform tasks that demand their attention. Specific examples of such situations are presented in the discussion (e.g., distracting effect of environment on medical and on psychological evaluations).
publishDate 2015
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2015-01-01T00:00:00Z
2015
2022-09-12T11:26:01Z
dc.type.status.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
dc.type.driver.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
format article
status_str publishedVersion
dc.identifier.uri.fl_str_mv http://hdl.handle.net/11328/4471
url http://hdl.handle.net/11328/4471
dc.language.iso.fl_str_mv eng
language eng
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv 1612-4790 (Online)
1612-4782 (Print)
10.1007/s10339-014-0628-y
dc.rights.driver.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv application/pdf
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv Springer Verlag
publisher.none.fl_str_mv Springer Verlag
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv reponame:Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)
instname:Agência para a Sociedade do Conhecimento (UMIC) - FCT - Sociedade da Informação
instacron:RCAAP
instname_str Agência para a Sociedade do Conhecimento (UMIC) - FCT - Sociedade da Informação
instacron_str RCAAP
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reponame_str Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)
collection Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)
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