The development of attentional networks: Cross-sectional findings from a life span sample.
Abstract
Using a population-based sample of 263 individuals ranging from 6 to 89 years of age, we investigated the gains and losses in the abilities to (a) use exogenous cues to shift attention covertly and (b) ignore conflicting information across the life span. The participants' ability to shift visual attention was tested by a typical Posner-type orienting task with valid and invalid peripheral cues. To tap conflict resolution, we asked participants to perform a color version of the Eriksen-type flanker task. The observed cross-sectional age differences in our data indicate that the ability to deal with conflicting information and the ability to covertly orient attention show different cross-sectional age gradients during childhood and that only conflict resolution mechanisms show a marked negative age difference in old age. Moreover, the data suggest that although the overall performance of the participants can, in part, be accounted for by individual differences in information processing speed, performance in the orienting and conflict task depends on factors related to the specific development of the two attentional systems in question.
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Maturity in orienting and attention develops around the ages of 7-10.
“Maturity in orienting and attention develops around the ages of 7–10 [26–28].”
From Medical decision-making in children and adolescents: developmental and neuroscientific aspects (2017) · cites this paper as [28]
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Medical decision-making in children and adolescents: developmental and neuroscientific aspects
Grootens-Wiegers, P., Hein, I. M., van den Broek, J. M., & de Vries, M. C. (2017) · BMC Pediatrics · doi:10.1186/s12887-017-0869-x · Cited by 357 · see citing works
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- Authors
- Waszak, F., Li, S.-C., & Hommel, B.
- Affiliations
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR)
- Max Planck Society (DE)
- Leiden University (NL)
- Venue
- Developmental Psychology
- Published
- 2010
- Volume
- 46
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 337-349
- ISSN
- 0012-1649 (ISSN-L)
- 1939-0599
- OpenAlex
- W2112438142
- Cited by
- 110
- References
- 92
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 10 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 8 · 2020: 12 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 8 · 2016: 6 · 2015: 2 · 2014: 10 · 2013: 5 · 2012: 6
- FWCI
- 3.09
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Developmental Psychology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- HAL (submittedVersion)
- Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics (submittedVersion)
- Max Planck Digital Library (submittedVersion)
- MPG.PuRe (Max Planck Society) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Cognitive Abilities and Testing
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology › Aging and Gerontology Research
- Keywords
- attentional networks, attention development, lifespan development, conflict resolution, flanker task, processing speed, individual differences, aging, childhood, old age
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Age Factors, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Aging, Analysis of Variance, Attention, Child, Conflict, Psychological, Cross-Sectional Studies, Cues, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Neuropsychological Tests, Orientation, Photic Stimulation, Reaction Time, Statistics as Topic, Community Health Planning, Young Adult
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