@2024 Afarand., IRAN

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ISSN: 2228-5468    Education Strategies in Medical Sciences 2014;7(3):167-173

Background
… [1-4] In the virtual environments and alongside the oral and written languages, visual non-verbal information including static and animated pictures play an important role in learning [5]. Attention to the information should be considered in learning processes, since persons’ learning and information processing capacity are limited. Attentional functions including selective attention, attention shifting, and inhibition control play important roles in this field. Information is not processed and learned by persons, until they be attracted [6]. There are different types of attention including selective attention (the determining factor of inputs information to the nervous system for processing), sustained attention (the determining factor of sustainability of information), shifting attention (the ability to change the focus on one information to another), and divided attention (the factor of simultaneously processing of some matters) [7]. Selective attention is the most important type of information in virtual environment. Selective attention is the factor determining allocation or non-allocation of cognitive resources to information, i. e. processing [8]. Visual information plays an important role in learning. In natural environment, all the images consist of certain frequency range and our visual system filters inputs with some frequency channels [9]. Image details and its generalities are transferred by high and low frequencies, respectively. High and low processes of frequency are related to partial and general processing strategies of the images, respectively.
Previous Studies
Frequency processing of the images evolves from infancy to adulthood, with promotion in using the filters [10]. In addition, low frequency filtering forms general image processing, alongside more inclination to the filtering in information processing in the adults [11].
Aim(s)
The aim of this study was to investigate the difference between attentions to the filtered and non-filtered images of information in the elementary and junior high school students.
Research type
This is a cross-sectional comparative study.
Research society, place and time
All elementary and junior high school students of one and six education districts of Tehran, Iran, were studied in 2012.
Sampling method and number
Using available sampling method, 132 participants from three elementary and junior high schools were selected.
Used devices&materials
To collect data, the modified visual dot-probe test was used. The test is the modified copy of the original test [12]. Face images were used in the test. The images were filtered with MatLab software and the faces were entered in the program as quasi-random in high-filtered, low-filtered, and non-filtered categories (Fig. 1). Each face image (4*6cm) was simultaneously shown at the two ends of a monitor. The subject was in 50cm distance from the monitor. At first, in order to make the person’s field of vision the monitor, fixation point (+) was presented for 500ms. Then, for 500ms, 2 faces were presented at the left and right sides of the fixation point of the monitor. Seeing the point (asterisk), the subject has to show direction of the point (asterisk) through pressing the arrow keys on the keyboards; and based on this, the computer recorded the subject’s reaction time up to 1ms. Congruent and incongruent stimuli were presented. In the congruent presentation, the target image (face image) and asterisk were on the same side. In the incongruent presentation, asterisk and the target image were not on the same side. Congruent and incongruent presentations of the stimuli were done to investigate the effects of attention. Laptops were used for the test. After introducing themselves and taking the subjects’ confirmations, the researchers recorded demographic information including age, sex, and education level. Data were evaluated by dot-probe test software. To introduce the program and ensure the subject’s understanding of the tester’s guidelines, the duty was experimentally done for some minutes. Then, the original program was conducted and the subject’s performance was recorded. Data were entered to the SPSS 18 software. Regarding one group and three different frequency filters, repeated measurement statistical evaluation was used to investigate attention differences to the three filters. Using repeated measurement evaluation needs sphericity assumption. Mauchley test was used to investigate sphericity assumption and in case of absence of the assumption, Greenhouse test was used. Chi-Square test was used for the mentioned tests.
Findings by Text
The mean correct responses of the subjects in congruent display at the low frequency (18.96±2.10) and in non-filtered incongruent presentation (17.04±1.81) were higher. The mean reaction time of the subjects in congruent display at high frequency (0.65±0.36) and in non-filtered incongruent presentation (0.59±0.33) were higher. There was significant difference between the subjects’ correct responses and reaction time to the different kinds of stimuli regarding congruent and incongruent presentations (Table 1). Only when the stimulus was congruent with Mauchely test, sphericity assumption for the replies was applied. In other cases, Greenhouse test was used (Table 2).  
Main comparison to the similar studies
There were some differences between the subjects’ correct responses and reaction time to the presented images, with the most right replies to the low-filtered images being congruent with the target stimulus (asterisk), alongside lower reaction times of responses to high-filtered and non-filtered images. Nevertheless, there was no such situation in incongruent presentation. So, when low filtered images were presented to the subjects, the rightness of responses and the speed of responding were higher indicating that the correct responses and more attention to children in the low-frequency filter which is consistent with several studies. Normal children, in case of low frequency information presentation, form more replies that are correct than the autistic children [13]. In contrary, with high frequencies in image presentation, the autistic children form more responses that are correct [13]. Using low frequency filtering in image comprehension is very more important than high frequency filtering [14]. The general processing strategies and low frequency filtering are mostly used by persons in image processing [15, 16]. … [17-25]
Suggestions
In general processing learning tasks, when visual information are intended, information presentation with low frequency ought to be done; and while there is need for partial characteristics processing, high frequency information ought to be used. In addition, based on a hypothesis, while information, which are related to the left semi-sphere (such as symbols, numbers, and formulae), are learned, high spatial frequency ought to be used; and since healthy persons tend to low spatial frequency in information processing in other cases, this frequency ought to be used in learning environment.
Limitations
The small sample size and available sampling method were of the limitations of the study.
Conclusions
In normal children and adolescents, low frequency filtered images are processed more exactly and more rapidly than high frequency filtered images and non-filtered images; and like the adults, there are more tendencies to low frequency filtering than the high one.
Acknowledgments
The researchers feel grateful to the Behaviour and Cognitive Neuroscience Research Center for providing research tools.
Conflict of interest
Non-declared
Ethical Permissions
Non-declared
Funding Sources
The researchers themselves funded the study.

TABLES and CHARTS

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