Sequential object recognition deficits in normal readers

The present work examined the relationship between sequential object recognition and variations in normal reading ability. A group of normal readers completed a battery of tests examining nonverbal intelligence, rapid-automatized naming, reading ability, and an attentional blink (AB) task in which they were asked to identify two sequential targets embedded amongst distractors. Consistent with previous studies, all participants showed a significant AB, with second-target identification improving as inter-target interval increased. More critically, low-normal readers showed a larger AB than high-normal readers. Considered in context with earlier work, these results imply that the ability to allocate capacity-limited processing resources to sequential visual inputs is linked to reading proficiency across the range of both disabled and normal readers.