Elisabeth Moores|Rizan Cassim|Joel B. Talcott
Adults with dyslexia exhibit large effects of crowding, increased dependence on cues, and detrimental effects of distractors in visual search tasks
Aston University|Aston University|Aston University
difficulties visual attention increasingly linked dyslexia date majority studies inferred functionality attention response times stimuli presented indefinite duration however paradigms use reaction times investigate ability orient attention delayed reaction time could also indicate difficulties signal enhancement noise exclusion oriented thus order investigate attention modulation visual crowding effects dyslexia study measured stimulus discrimination accuracy rapidly presented displays adults dyslexia awd controls discriminated orientation target array different numbers differently spaced vertically orientated distractors results showed awd disproportionately impacted close spacing ii increased numbers stimuli iii use precues modulate attention iv used cues less successfully counter effects increasing numbers distractors greater dependence precues larger effects crowding impact increased numbers distractors correlated significantly measures literacy findings extend previous studies visual crowding letters dyslexia noncomplex stimuli overall awd use cues less use cues less successfully conclude visual attention important factor consider aetiology dyslexia results challenge existing theoretical accounts visual attention deficits alone unable comprehensively explain pattern findings demonstrated