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Age-related changes in selective attention and perceptual load during visual search.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Madden, DJ; Langley, LK
Published in: Psychol Aging
March 2003

Three visual search experiments were conducted to test the hypothesis that age differences in selective attention vary as a function of perceptual load (E. A. Maylor & N. Lavie, 1998). Under resource-limited conditions (Experiments 1 and 2), the distraction from irrelevant display items generally decreased as display size (perceptual load) increased. This perceptual load effect was similar for younger and older adults, contrary to the findings of Maylor and Lavie. Distraction at low perceptual loads appeared to reflect both general and specific inhibitory mechanisms. Under more data-limited conditions (Experiment 3), an age-related decline in selective attention was evident, but the age difference was not attributable to capacity limitations as predicted by the perceptual load theory.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Psychol Aging

DOI

ISSN

0882-7974

Publication Date

March 2003

Volume

18

Issue

1

Start / End Page

54 / 67

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Visual Perception
  • Models, Psychological
  • Middle Aged
  • Male
  • Humans
  • Female
  • Experimental Psychology
  • Attention
  • Aging
  • Aged, 80 and over
 

Citation

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Madden, D. J., & Langley, L. K. (2003). Age-related changes in selective attention and perceptual load during visual search. Psychol Aging, 18(1), 54–67. https://doi.org/10.1037/0882-7974.18.1.54
Madden, David J., and Linda K. Langley. “Age-related changes in selective attention and perceptual load during visual search.Psychol Aging 18, no. 1 (March 2003): 54–67. https://doi.org/10.1037/0882-7974.18.1.54.
Madden DJ, Langley LK. Age-related changes in selective attention and perceptual load during visual search. Psychol Aging. 2003 Mar;18(1):54–67.
Madden, David J., and Linda K. Langley. “Age-related changes in selective attention and perceptual load during visual search.Psychol Aging, vol. 18, no. 1, Mar. 2003, pp. 54–67. Pubmed, doi:10.1037/0882-7974.18.1.54.
Madden DJ, Langley LK. Age-related changes in selective attention and perceptual load during visual search. Psychol Aging. 2003 Mar;18(1):54–67.

Published In

Psychol Aging

DOI

ISSN

0882-7974

Publication Date

March 2003

Volume

18

Issue

1

Start / End Page

54 / 67

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Visual Perception
  • Models, Psychological
  • Middle Aged
  • Male
  • Humans
  • Female
  • Experimental Psychology
  • Attention
  • Aging
  • Aged, 80 and over