Research Plan and Summary

Abbie Ottosen
Recent research suggests that the human brain is “distracted”, or redirects attention, four
times every second. However, the information processed during this time frame is not always
just visual information, but olfactory, auditory, and tactile senses as well, which then combine to
form one continuous stream of memories. The senses taken in through the peripheral vision are
the majority of what gets processed involuntarily by the brain. This rhythm to attention is a
newer phenomenon, and it is most likely the reason why ads are so effective, regardless of if one
even looks at one.
Using this information, I would like to test whether the brain can actually learn
information through the peripheral vision and the natural distractibility of the brain. If proven
true, then people all over the world would be able to learn more effectively by using their
periodic shift in attention to learn more things at a time. This research could revolutionize the
educational world, and help educators teach their students more information at a time.
Research Question: Can the human brain process multiple learning tasks at once by using the
natural rhythmic attention?
Hypothesis: If the subject can involuntarily absorb the information presented, then they will see
a significant increase in their knowledge on a subject.
Expected Outcome: I expect that minimally half of the subjects will see an increase in their
scores on the subject by at least 30%.
The above questions are based on the topic of rhythmic attention, peripheral vision, and
involuntarily processing of the world around us.
Procedures: I plan to test at minimum 30 students from 13-18 years of age. This experiment will
be open to all genders and ethnicities. I plan to test any students willing to participate. These
students will be invited to participate if they attend high school. Due to the potential question of
“Do you have any disability that could affect your ability to focus or learn?”, some participants
may feel uncomfortable answering. This question will be asked briefly in between the
experiment and a post-test, as a way of gathering information and distracting. I will minimize the
potential discomfort by assuring participants that their information is confidential, and that only I
will know their response. If proven effective, my test could give participants and society a better
way to learn. All results will be anonymous as well, as I will put secret numbers with the names
of each participant, so names will remain confidential when presenting my findings. After the
study, I will not release any information regarding the names or private information of
participants. I will give participants the attached form to receive consent.
Prior to beginning the experiment, each the participant will be given a pre-test on the
topic of flags (attached). They will have 10 minutes maximum to complete the test. This will be
given the day before their experiment. After completion, they will be taken to an area with 3
computers. One computer will be centered to the participant, and in between the other 2
computers. The other 2 computers will be placed equidistant from the middle computer, and at
an angle that allows sight from the peripheral vision. They will be instructed to look only at the
middle screen. The middle screen will be set on a PowerPoint with 16 slides with an image of a
flag, and the corresponding country beneath it. Each slide has the same size image, and same size
font. These slides will be on a timer to change every 4 seconds. The 2 side screens will have the
same content, switching slides every 8 seconds. There are 8 slides. The layout is the same as the
center screen, but the flags are different from it. All the flags are on the pre-test and post-test, but
both tests have 2 extra flags to eliminate complete guessing. After the 64 seconds of the
PowerPoint, I will ask participants questions for at least 1 minute to distract them from the
information they just learned and allow the brain to process it. These questions are attached.
Then, I will give them the same test as the pre-test, which they will not know prior to receiving
it, and they will have 10 minutes to complete it. They will not receive their scores at any point.
The slides are set to be factors of 4, due to the fact that the brain is distracted four times a
second. The side slides are 2x slower than the middle to give the brain a chance to see the
information through the peripheral vision and analyze it. For every 2 slides in the middle, there is
one slide on the sides that are identical.
Also, the slides are ordered to see if the brain is more likely to become distracted when
information is already known. For example, most Americans will know the American flag, so
when this flag is shown in the middle, a flag that is harder to know, the Zambia flag, will be
shown on the sides. This is not a consistent format, but it is incorporated in several slides.
To analyze the results, I will first determine the percent increase between the pre-test and
post-test to see the improvement after learning via the PowerPoint. Then, I will narrow in on the
side slides, and see the improvement on those specifically, and determine the percent increase the
information known on the slides they were instructed not to look at. Further, I will divide the
results by gender, and determine if there is any correlation between the two.
There are no risks with this experiment, with the exception of potential discomfort.
Bibliography:
Betuel, E. (2018, August 22). Scientists Reveal the Number of Times You're Actually Conscious
Each Minute. Retrieved from https://www.inverse.com/article/48300-why-is-it-hard-to-
focus-research-humans
Buschman, T., & Kastner, S. (2015). From Behavior to Neural Dynamics: An Integrated Theory
of Attention. Neuron, 88(1), 127-144. doi:10.1016/j.neuron.2015.09.017
Dugué, L., Roberts, M., & Carrasco, M. (2016). Attention Reorients Periodically. Current
Biology, 26(12), 1595-1601. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2016.04.046
Jia, J., Liu, L., Fang, F., & Luo, H. (2017). Sequential sampling of visual objects during
sustained attention. PLOS Biology, 15(6), e2001903. doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.2001903
Yamamoto, N., & Philbeck, J. W. (2012). Peripheral vision benefits spatial learning by guiding
eye movements. Memory & Cognition, 41(1), 109-121. doi:10.3758/s13421-012-0240-2