Age changes in the distribution of visual attention.

Two experiments examined adult age differences in the controlled allocation of visual selective attention. Both experiments were identical with the exception of the stimulus display where targets and distractors were linearly increased with eccentricity in Experiment 2. A spatial cuing task was used with four cue-target presentation intervals (SOAs) of 250, 500, 1000, and 2000 msec (Experiment 1) and 250, 500, 750, and 1000 msec (Experiment 2). Results were fit to three quantitative models based on attentional distribution metaphors (spotlight, zoom lens, and ring) in order to determine the best fitting model of attentional distribution. Data from Experiment 1 indicated that older subjects distributed attention in a qualitatively different manner than younger subjects and suggested a different time course of processing. When stimuli visibility was controlled a single flexible resource allocation (ring) model of attention could account for the results of both age groups at all SOAs. Results further suggested that older adults employ compensatory strategies to offset visual processing difficulties.