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Children's Darting (Not Diffuse) Attentional Spotlight Reduces Memory Selectivity for Relevant Content

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Title: Children's Darting (Not Diffuse) Attentional Spotlight Reduces Memory Selectivity for Relevant Content
Language: English
Authors: Alexandra Decker (ORCID 0000-0002-8693-2073), Marlie Tandoc, Hyuna Cho (ORCID 0000-0003-1541-6845), Gloria Rebello, Donald J. Mabbott, Katherine Duncan, Amy S. Finn
Source: Developmental Science. 2026 29(2).
Availability: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 13
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Descriptors: Children, Attention, Memory, Learning, Adults, Age Differences
DOI: 10.1111/desc.70118
ISSN: 1363-755X
1467-7687
Abstract: Why do children remember distracting details better than adults? This could be a silver lining--a benefit--of children's immature attention. The present work establishes this link between immature selective attention and children's broader learning. Furthermore, it adjudicates between two ways that immature attention could drive children's broad learning. One possibility is that children have a "diffuse" attentional spotlight, meaning irrelevant information "leaks" into long-term memory as children learn about relevant information. Alternatively, children's attention might dart "between" relevant and irrelevant information across time. While both mechanisms would broaden learning, only diffuse attention would facilitate memories for relevant and irrelevant information from the "same" event and associations between them. In a sample of children and adults (n = 130), we find clear evidence that immature attention underlies children's reduced memory selectivity for relevant content. Furthermore, relevant and irrelevant information from the "same" event were associated in adults' memory but not children's. We also observed that children learned about targets and distractors from "different" events, a pattern consistent with the idea that children's attention is more likely to dart than diffuse across items. Children's immature and darting attention may, therefore, explain why they remember "distracting" information better than adults.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1498607
Database: ERIC
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  Data: Children's Darting (Not Diffuse) Attentional Spotlight Reduces Memory Selectivity for Relevant Content
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Alexandra+Decker%22">Alexandra Decker</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8693-2073">0000-0002-8693-2073</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Marlie+Tandoc%22">Marlie Tandoc</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Hyuna+Cho%22">Hyuna Cho</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1541-6845">0000-0003-1541-6845</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Gloria+Rebello%22">Gloria Rebello</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Donald+J%2E+Mabbott%22">Donald J. Mabbott</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Katherine+Duncan%22">Katherine Duncan</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Amy+S%2E+Finn%22">Amy S. Finn</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Developmental+Science%22"><i>Developmental Science</i></searchLink>. 2026 29(2).
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  Data: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Children%22">Children</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Attention%22">Attention</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Memory%22">Memory</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Learning%22">Learning</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Adults%22">Adults</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Age+Differences%22">Age Differences</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.1111/desc.70118
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  Data: 1363-755X<br />1467-7687
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  Data: Why do children remember distracting details better than adults? This could be a silver lining--a benefit--of children's immature attention. The present work establishes this link between immature selective attention and children's broader learning. Furthermore, it adjudicates between two ways that immature attention could drive children's broad learning. One possibility is that children have a "diffuse" attentional spotlight, meaning irrelevant information "leaks" into long-term memory as children learn about relevant information. Alternatively, children's attention might dart "between" relevant and irrelevant information across time. While both mechanisms would broaden learning, only diffuse attention would facilitate memories for relevant and irrelevant information from the "same" event and associations between them. In a sample of children and adults (n = 130), we find clear evidence that immature attention underlies children's reduced memory selectivity for relevant content. Furthermore, relevant and irrelevant information from the "same" event were associated in adults' memory but not children's. We also observed that children learned about targets and distractors from "different" events, a pattern consistent with the idea that children's attention is more likely to dart than diffuse across items. Children's immature and darting attention may, therefore, explain why they remember "distracting" information better than adults.
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