The effects of consistency and inconsistency between attentional focus and task objective in learning a golf putting task

Converging evidence has demonstrated learning advantages when an individual is instructed to focus their attention externally. However, many of the motor tasks utilized in past research had clear external objectives (i.e., putting accuracy), creating a compatible relationship between an external focus of attention (i.e., outcome) and an external task objective (i.e., putting accuracy). The present study examined whether or not the consistency of instructions and task objective would differentially impact the acquisition of a golf putting task. Participants performed a putting task in a control condition or in one of four experimental conditions resulting from the factorial interaction of task instructions (internal or external) and task objective (internal or external). The retention and transfer data revealed that participants who received an external task objective demonstrated superior outcome scores. Participants who received technique information paired with outcome information demonstrated superior technique scores.

Individual Differences in Global/Local Processing Bias and the Attentional Blink

When the second of two targets (T2) is presented temporally close to the first target (T1) in rapid serial visual presentation, accuracy to detect/identify T2 is markedly reduced as compared to longer target separations. This is known as the attentional blink (AB), and is thought to reflect a limitation of selective attention. While most individuals show an AB, research has demonstrated that individuals are variously susceptible to this effect. To explain these differences, Dale and Arnell (2010) examined whether dispositional differences in attentional breadth, as measured by the Navon letter task, could predict individual AB magnitude. They found that individuals who showed a natural bias toward the broad, global level of Navon letter stimuli were less susceptible to the AB as compared to individuals who showed a natural bias toward the detailed, local aspects of Navon letter stimuli. This suggests that individuals who naturally broaden their attention can overcome the AB. However, it was unclear how stable these individual differences were over time, and whether a variety of global/local tasks could predict AB performance. As such, the purpose of this dissertation was to investigate, through four empirical studies, the nature of individual differences in both global/local bias and the AB, and how these differences in attentional breadth can modulate AB performance. Study 1 was designed to examine the stability of dispositional global/local biases over time, as well as the relationships among three different global/local processing measures. Study 2 examined the stability of individual differences in the AB, as well as the relationship among two distinct AB tasks. Study 3 examined whether the three distinct global/local tasks used in Study 1 could predict performance on the two AB tasks from Study 2. Finally, Study 4 explored whether individual differences in global/local bias could be manipulated by exposing participants to high/low spatial frequencies and Navon stimuli. In Study 1, I showed that dispositional differences in global/local bias were reliable over a period of at least a week, demonstrating that these individual biases may be trait-like. However, the three tasks that purportedly measure global/local bias were unrelated to each other, suggesting that they measure unique aspects of global/local processing. In Study 2, I found that individual variation in AB performance was also reliable over a period of at least a week, and that the two AB task versions were correlated. Study 3 showed that dispositional global/local biases, as measured by the three tasks from Study 1, predicted AB magnitude, such that individuals who were naturally globally biased had smaller ABs. Finally, in Study 4 I demonstrated that these dispositional global/local biases are resistant to both spatial frequency and Navon letter manipulations, indicating that these differences are robust and intractable. Overall, the results of the four studies in this dissertation help clarify the role of individual differences in attentional breadth in selective attention.

A Letter from California - 4 November 1849

"A Letter from California" written by Cyrus Sumner in Sacramento City to his brother William in Grimsby, dated November 4, 1849. The letter was published in The Hamilton Spectator.

Letter - Cyrus Sumner to his brother Walter

A letter from Cyrus Sumner to his brother Walter Sumner, dated 23 April 1849. The letter describes the experiences of Cyrus Sumner from the road. He discusses the travel "from Erie to Pittsburg". A transcription accompanies the letter

Letter - Dominion Alliance to Mr. Harry Cowan

A letter from the president of the Dominion Alliance for the Suppression of the Liquor Traffic, Joseph Gibson. The letter is dated November 18th, 1910 and requests "subscription". The request is to add to the campaign fund and the "new fight...voting upon the question of bar-room abolition". The voting is stated to take place in "January next" for about one hundred municipalities in Ontario.

Letter - Ed Broadbent to Donald Ziraldo, 1987

The letter discusses the international level of Inniskillin wine and high standards of Canadian wine. John Crosbie's remarks about Canadian wines are also mentioned. The letter is dated 19 January, 1987 from the office of the New Democratic Party in the House of Commons.

Letter - John Ralston Saul to Donald Ziraldo, 2002

A letter from His Excellency John Ralston Saul 2 May, 2002. He comments on the efforts made by Mr. Ziraldo to protect the agricultural land of Niagara. He also discusses the role of Canadian wine in the international market and tourism in the area.

Letter - Landon Pearson to Donald Ziraldo, 1998

A letter from Landon Pearson, Senator for Ontario and son in law of Lester B. Pearson, congratulating Mr. Ziraldo on his investiture as a Member into the Order of Canada.

Letter- Michael H. Wilson to Donald Ziraldo, 1993

A letter from Michael H. Wilson, Minister of Industry, Science and Technology and Minister of International Trade, dated 7 May, 1993. He discusses the achievements of Inniskillin in the "Vinitaly" wine exhibition. Wilson also remarks on the great accomplishments of Mr. Ziraldo as chairman of the Ontario Vintners Quality Alliance (VQA).

Letter - Donald Ziraldo to Jacques Marie, 1988

A letter from the chairman of the VQA, Donald Ziraldo, to Jacques Marie, a professor at George Brown College. The letter is dated 9 December 1988 and requests Marie as a Board Member for the newly formed VQA. The first meeting is scheduled for 19 December, 1988.

Letter - Sergio Marchi to Donald Ziraldo, 1999

A letter from the Honourable Sergio Marchi, Minister for International Trade to Donald Ziraldo to discuss the status of the EU Commission and wine issues. He commits to "opening markets for Canadian wine exports to the European Union". The letter is dated 23 April, 1999.

Letter - Michael D. Harris to Donald Ziraldo, 2000

A letter from Premier Mike Harris to Donald Ziraldo 15 June, 2000. The correspondence discusses the possibility of agricultural preserve in Niagara.

Letter - Premier Dalton McGuinty to Donald Ziraldo, 2004

A letter from Premier Dalton McGuinty responding to a letter from Donald Ziraldo, concerning the agricultural preserve in Niagara. The letter is dated May 14, 2004.

Letter - Donald Ziraldo to Bob Welch, 1974

A letter from Donald Ziraldo to Bob Welch (M.P.P. for Lincoln) discussing the permit attained from the LCBO to produce wine. The letter is dated 9 September 1974.

Letter - Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau to Donald Ziraldo

A letter from Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau to Donald Ziraldo, dated 19 December, 1983. Trudeau had visited the Inniskillin winery the same year and remarks on the conversation they shared. Also a thank you note for a bottle of wine from Ziraldo for the holidays.