Individual Differences in Attention

Abstract

MANY STUDIES have reported individual differences in infants' attention to visual stimuli^1-4 and in several recent studies the differences have been observed in the first week of life.^1,5 Visual functions such as pattern vision, discrimination, visual acuity, and preference, all can be observed in the neonatal period.^5,6 It has been found that factors affecting the infants' condition at birth can affect distribution of attention in the first few days of life⁵ as well as longterm behavior and performance.^7-12 The purpose of the present study was to determine whether differences in the condition of the infant at birth could be related to differences in attention during the first year. In order to determine the effect of the condition at birth on subsequent attentional behavior, it was necessary to find a birth condition measure which had been standardized and which existed across hospitals and various clinical settings.