Mechanisms and measurement of attention in laboratory tasks versus naturalistic learning contexts

Abstract

Translation of laboratory-derived metrics to quantify learning in naturalistic settings is an important goal in neuroscience. In the current study we tested if a common neural metric of visual attention, alpha-range (8–12 Hz) oscillations, generalizes from laboratory to naturalistic learning. We recorded electroencephalography (EEG) in eighty 6–10-year-old children while they participated in naturalistic learning activities and during a laboratory spatial working memory task ( n = 51 final sample). We found that alpha power during the activities did not correlate with event-related alpha power modulations (ERMs) during stimulus processing in the laboratory task, a common indicator of visual attention. By contrast, multiple control analyses showed the expected relationships among baseline activity, task-related modulation and behavioral performance. These results suggest that alpha ERMs during task processing reflect different neural processes of visual attention than alpha power during learning activities – potentially reflecting additional contributions from arousal, motivation or motor activity in naturalistic environments. These findings suggest that laboratory-derived neural metrics of visual attention may not directly generalize to naturalistic learning, highlighting the need to consider multiple contributing processes when translating laboratory-derived neural metrics to naturalistic learning.

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BibTeX RIS

BibTeX

@article{chang2026mechanisms,
  title = {{Mechanisms and measurement of attention in laboratory tasks versus naturalistic learning contexts}},
  author = {Fang Yu Chang and Xinyi Zoe Mao and Maya Khalil and Mark D. Rapport and Andrea Dillon and Sandra K. Loo and Jennie K. Grammer and Agatha Lenartowicz},
  journal = {Scientific Reports},
  year = {2026},
  month = oct,
  doi = {10.1038/s41598-026-76587-6},
  url = {https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-026-76587-6},
  note = {CC BY 4.0},
}

RIS

TY  - JOUR
TI  - Mechanisms and measurement of attention in laboratory tasks versus naturalistic learning contexts
AU  - Fang Yu Chang
AU  - Xinyi Zoe Mao
AU  - Maya Khalil
AU  - Mark D. Rapport
AU  - Andrea Dillon
AU  - Sandra K. Loo
AU  - Jennie K. Grammer
AU  - Agatha Lenartowicz
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/26
JO  - Scientific Reports
DO  - 10.1038/s41598-026-76587-6
UR  - https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-026-76587-6
AB  - Translation of laboratory-derived metrics to quantify learning in naturalistic settings is an important goal in neuroscience. In the current study we tested if a common neural metric of visual attention, alpha-range (8–12 Hz) oscillations, generalizes from laboratory to naturalistic learning. We recorded electroencephalography (EEG) in eighty 6–10-year-old children while they participated in naturalistic learning activities and during a laboratory spatial working memory task ( n = 51 final sample). We found that alpha power during the activities did not correlate with event-related alpha power modulations (ERMs) during stimulus processing in the laboratory task, a common indicator of visual attention. By contrast, multiple control analyses showed the expected relationships among baseline activity, task-related modulation and behavioral performance. These results suggest that alpha ERMs during task processing reflect different neural processes of visual attention than alpha power during learning activities – potentially reflecting additional contributions from arousal, motivation or motor activity in naturalistic environments. These findings suggest that laboratory-derived neural metrics of visual attention may not directly generalize to naturalistic learning, highlighting the need to consider multiple contributing processes when translating laboratory-derived neural metrics to naturalistic learning.
SN  - 2045-2322
ER  -

Abstract

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