Crossmodal spatial distraction across the lifespan

The ability to resist distracting stimuli whilst voluntarily focusing on a task is fundamental our everyday cognitive functioning. Here, we investigated how this develops, and thereafter declines, across the lifespan using single task/experiment. Young children (5–7 years), older (10–11 young adults (20–27 (62–86 years) were presented with complex visual scenes. Endogenous (voluntary) attention was engaged by having participants search for target either left or right side of display. onset scenes preceded – at stimulus asynchronies (SOAs) 50, 200, 500 ms task-irrelevant sound (an exogenous crossmodal spatial distractor) delivered same opposite as target, simultaneously both sides (cued, uncued, neutral trials, respectively). Age-related differences revealed, especially in extreme age-groups, which showed greater impact distractors. highly susceptible distraction shortest SOA (50 ms), whereas distracted all SOAs, showing significant capture effects during task. By contrast, adults' performance not significantly affected distraction. Overall, these findings present detailed picture developmental trajectory endogenous resistance from childhood old age demonstrate different efficiency coping four age-groups studied.