Maylor, Elizabeth A. and Lavie, Nilli . (1998) The influence of perceptual load on age differences in selective attention. Psychology and Aging, Vol.13 (No.4). pp. 563-574. ISSN 0882-7974

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Abstract

The effect of perceptual load on age differences in visual selective attention was examined in 2 studies. In Experiment 1, younger and older adults made speeded choice responses indicating which of 2 target letters was present in a relevant set of letters in the center of the display while they attempted to ignore an irrelevant distractor in the periphery. The perceptual load of relevant processing was manipulated by varying the central set size. When the relevant set size was small, the adverse effect of an incompatible distractor was much greater for the older participants than for the younger ones. However, with larger relevant set sizes, this was no longer the case, with the distractor effect decreasing for older participants at lower levels of perceptual load than for younger ones. In Experiment 2, older adults were tested with the empty locations in the central set either unmarked (as in Experiment 1) or marked by small circles to form a group of 6 items irrespective of set size; the 2 conditions did not differ markedly, ruling out an explanation based entirely on perceptual grouping. *1 The results of Experiment 1 were presented at the Sixth Cognitive Aging Conference, Atlanta, Georgia, April 1996. Experiment 1 was conducted while we both were employed at the Medical Research Council's Applied Psychology Unit in Cambridge, England. Experiment 2 was conducted at the University of Warwick. We are grateful to Fiona Anderson and Richard Darby for recruiting and testing participants in Experiment 2.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology
Divisions:	Faculty of Science > Psychology
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Selectivity (Psychology), Perceptual-motor processes , Cognition — Age factors
Journal or Publication Title:	Psychology and Aging
Publisher:	American Psychological Association
ISSN:	0882-7974
Date:	1998
Volume:	Vol.13
Number:	No.4
Page Range:	pp. 563-574
Identification Number:	10.1037/0882-7974.13.4.563
Status:	Peer Reviewed
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URI:	http://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/id/eprint/35834

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