Developmental changes in auditory attention

Abstract

This paper presents an overview of developmental findings on auditory attention and its main components. Unlike visual attention that has been excessively studied in infants and children, auditory attention studies in the youngest population are sparse. However, during the last decade, there has been an increase in the number of studies, especially electrophysiological ones carried out on infants. Our review starts with Posner's seminal theoretical and experimental work gradually developing into a neuropsychological model of attention. Basic components of auditory attention are presented with the focus on selective auditory attention and the MMN as its electrophysiological correlate. In conclusion, we return to the psychological concepts of interpreting developmental changes in auditory attention. The psychological level of analysis shows interconnectivity of all attentional components as well as the relation between attention and other aspects of cognitive and emotional development.

Rad predstavlja pregled razvojnih istraživanja u okviru auditivne pažnje i njenih glavnih komponenti. Za razliku od vizuelne pažnje odojčadi i dece, istraživanja auditivne pažnje kod najmlađe populacije su daleko manje prisutna. Međutim, poslednja dekada beleži porast istraživanja posebno onih koja primenjuju elektrofiziološke parametre. Pregled počinje prikazom Posnerovog rada koji je rezultirao uticajnim neuropsihološkim modelom pažnje. U okviru prikaza auditivne pažnje, predstavljamo osnovne komponente ove funkcije, sa akcentom na selektivnu auditivnu pažnju i MMN kao njen glavni elektrofiziološki korelat. U zaključku se oslanjamo na psihološki nivo interpretacije razvojnih promena u auditivnoj pažnji. Ovaj nivo pokazuje međusobnu povezanost svih komponenti pažnje, kao i vezu auditivne pažnje sa kognitivim i emocionalnim dimenzijama ličnosti.