title: Age-related preservation of top-down control over distraction in visual search.
abstract: Visual search studies have demonstrated that older adults can have preserved or even increased top-down control over distraction. However, the results are mixed as to the extent of this age-related preservation. The present experiment assesses group differences in younger and older adults during visual search, with a task featuring two conditions offering varying degrees of top-down control over distraction. After controlling for generalized slowing, the analyses revealed that the age groups were equally capable of utilizing top-down control to minimize distraction. Furthermore, for both age groups, the distraction effect was manifested in a sustained manner across the reaction time distribution.
authors.affiliation: Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA.
authors.forename: Matthew C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Costello
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Madden
authors.forename: Anne M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Shepler
authors.forename: Stephen R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Mitroff
authors.forename: Andrew B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Leber
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D055253:Color Vision; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007361:Intelligence Tests; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D014792:Visual Acuity; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult