Citation

Lavie N. Trends Cogn. Sci. 2005; 9(2): 75-82.

Affiliation

Department of Psychology and Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK. n.lavie@ucl.ac.uk

Copyright

(Copyright © 2005, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.tics.2004.12.004

PMID

15668100

Abstract

The ability to remain focused on goal-relevant stimuli in the presence of potentially interfering distractors is crucial for any coherent cognitive function. However, simply instructing people to ignore goal-irrelevant stimuli is not sufficient for preventing their processing. Recent research reveals that distractor processing depends critically on the level and type of load involved in the processing of goal-relevant information. Whereas high perceptual load can eliminate distractor processing, high load on "frontal" cognitive control processes increases distractor processing. These findings provide a resolution to the long-standing early and late selection debate within a load theory of attention that accommodates behavioural and neuroimaging data within a framework that integrates attention research with executive function.

Language: en