Through Your Spotlight : Individual Differences in Attentional Spotlight Size and the Correlation with Cognitive Functions and Personality Traits

Visual attention allows us to direct attention to a location in space and select information for perceptual processing. Attention operates like a beam of light that roams around our visual field and only stimuli within this beam of attention are processed. This beam of light is called the ‘attentional spotlight’ [40]. It has been explained by terms of global and local visual attention, i.e. processing with a possibly broader attentional spotlight and processing with a possibly narrower attentional spotlight. Previous studies showed an emphasis on finding a generally valid size and adaptability level. Investigating the differences between (groups of) individuals is important to understand cognitive anomalies and personality traits in these individuals. Therefore, this thesis addresses the possible differences in size and adaptability level of the attentional spotlight between (groups of) individuals. Firstly, by discussing the different models of spatial attention and how these have been studied. Secondly, by discussing the possible differences in attentional spotlight size and adaptability level between groups of individuals and the possible correlations with other cognitive functions and personality traits. Results show that differences in default attentional spotlight sizes do exist, but predominantly differences in the level of adaptability. Whether the difference in size and adaptability of the attentional spotlight results in the cognitive anomalies or the cognitive anomalies result in the difference in the attentional spotlight, differs between the groups of individuals.