1. Standing enhances cognitive control and alters visual search
- Author
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Kendra C. Smith, William H. Knapp, Richard A. Abrams, and Christopher C. Davoli
- Subjects
Adult ,Male ,Linguistics and Language ,Experimental and Cognitive Psychology ,Affect (psychology) ,behavioral disciplines and activities ,Language and Linguistics ,Task (project management) ,Cognition ,Reaction Time ,Visual attention ,Humans ,Attention ,Control (linguistics) ,Postural Balance ,Visual search ,Sensory Systems ,Postural stability ,Stroop Test ,Visual Perception ,Female ,Psychology ,psychological phenomena and processes ,Photic Stimulation ,Psychomotor Performance ,Stroop effect ,Cognitive psychology - Abstract
Postural changes and the maintenance of postural stability have been shown to affect many aspects of cognition. Here we examined the extent to which selective visual attention may differ between standing and seated postures in three tasks: the Stroop color-word task, a task-switching paradigm, and visual search. We found reduced Stroop interference, a reduction in switch costs, and slower search rates in the visual search task when participants stood compared to when they sat while performing the tasks. The results suggest that the postural demands associated with standing enhance cognitive control, revealing broad connections between body posture and cognitive mechanisms.
- Published
- 2019