Subdomains of executive function correlate with accuracy on a change detection task

Change blindness involves a failure to detect changes in a visual scene, despite the differences being available to visual perception. Although change detection is crucial for many every day or professional behaviours (e.g., driving, occupations such as radiology), little is known about the individual differences that contribute to change detection ability or the cognitive domains involved. Previous research has implicated attentional and visual memory processes in successful change detection. The present study used a naturalistic change detection task, the Alternate Forms Flicker Task (AFFT), paired with a battery of nine cognitive tests, to ascertain which cognitive domains are most strongly associated with change detection accuracy in a sample of 260 participants. Strongest correlates with AFFT accuracy were tasks assessing top-down attentional search (Visual Attentional Capture and Control Task), visuospatial ability and memory (Austin Maze and Object 2back Task), and visual inspection time (Subtle Cognitive Impairment Test). Principal Axis Factoring extraction with Promax rotation showed that cognitive flexibility, visuospatial working memory, and attention and processing speed collectively accounted for 41% of the variability in test battery scores. Using these three factors, a multiple linear regression model significantly accounted for 10.0% of the variability in AFFT scores. Visuospatial working memory was the principal factor, indicating that individual differences in visuospatial working memory likely contribute to differences in change detection accuracy.